Vader's Dead Apprentice
by Jeffrey Von H
Summary: The final confrontation between Darth Vader and his former apprentice Ahsoka Tano. Ahsoka unknowingly befriends a youngling of the Sith species who leads her to the ancient world of Ziost in the Outer Rim. Will she be turned to the Dark side? Is her inner strength enough to pull Vader back to the Light? She will be using red lightsabers on her journey to Sith Space.
1. An Unexpected Travel Partner

A long time ago in a galaxy far,

far away….

Five years before the Battle of Yavin, the Galactic Empire was still wrenching control away for the members of the Senate. The Rebel alliance was working to organize itself into a force large enough to make a difference. Agents of the Dark Lord of the Sith were engaged in a covert mission to root out the remaining members of the Jedi Order now in hiding. Darth Vader having failed to locate his old master sought to root him out by tracking his former padawan. Though she did not know the status or location of Obi-Wan Kenobi, she did realize that her connection with the budding Rebel forces had brought considerable unwanted attention from highest ranks of the Empire. Deciding that she was more of a hindrance than a help to them, she once again walked off alone, returning to a life of obscurity in the galaxy. This disappearing act prompted Vader to secretly train a new apprentice for the sole purpose of luring her back.

 **Chapter 1**

 **An Unexpected Travel Partner**

A gargantuan raw ore transport ship pulled away from the inner galactic planet of Onderon and moved into the hyperspace lanes enroute to Mandalore. The ore was for a new Imperial base being constructed in a remote region of the Outer Rim world. The crew was no friend of the Empire and on this occasion couriered a group of clone deserters to an underground railroad waypoint in the capital city of Keldabe. The passenger compartments were small and shared and located in the area between the bridge and the vast storage units making up the bulk of the ship. Alone in the last available room on the hall, Ahsoka Tano sat in deep meditation. She felt safe aboard this ship, though her focus had wondered.

Ahsoka spent her 31st birthday on Onderon with her friend and galactic Senator, Lux Bonteri. Their happy reunion was cut short by an Imperial spy who forced Ahsoka to show her hand. She dealt with the would be assassin, who was clearly trained in the ways of the Dark Side, with haste. However, their brief duel had spilled into the streets outside the private residence of the Senator. Several bystanders were struck down by the Sith assassin during their battle. Ahsoka's finishing blow sent his red lightsaber skidding into the crowd that had immediately formed. All the onlooking faces clearly witnessed a Togruta female murder an officer of the Empire.

The event was later hailed as a foiled assassination attempt on Senator Bonteri by a former fallen Jedi Knight. Much to Lux Bonteri's dismay, Ahsoka Tano's name was made public as a Jedi terrorist, enemy of the state and murderer of innocent civilians. Every bounty hunter in the central galaxy now knew her name, so she decided to hide in the Outer Rim Territories. Her troubled mind focused on that last moment of the fight. Her green lightsaber split the assassin right down the middle, breaking him into two symmetrical parts. Her eyes tracked his saber hilt land at the feet of a young boy who stood dazed next to the body of his fallen mother. She extinguished her dual lightsabers and ran. The boy's dark red skin still stood out in her mind.

She wasn't even able to say goodbye to Lux. She got off the planet on the next available safe transit ship.

Her meditation shifted again, back in time further to the moment Master Plo Koon found her as a small child and brought her to the Jedi for training. Her darkness filled vision blew away like a drifting cloud with the opening of her cabin door. The sound of the deceased Master Plo's voice echoed through her mind as the door opened.

"Be careful, little Ahsoka."

Ahsoka opened her eyes and jumped to her feet with the sudden opening of the door. Standing in the doorway looking at her was the red skinned boy from the planet below. He wore clothes that seemed too light for deep space travel, but carried a large pack. His bright yellow eyes peered into hers and his three fingered hand reached up and tugged on one of the two tentacle like tendrils that hung from his chin. His head was shaven and he had what appeared to be two small nodules or bumps on his skull, like little rounded horns. He tilted his head to the side and smiled, revealing a large mouth full of pointed teeth. His smile seemed to brush aside the ill feelings she was experiencing with his sudden reappearance in her life. She had never seen a species like him before. She smiled back at the young teenage boy, despite the negative aura he brought with him.

"They said I should share this cabin with you."

The boy walked in and dropped his pack with a thud on the floor. They both sat down on the couches that doubled as beds attached to the sides of the compartment. They faced each other for a moment sizing the situation up. The boy again spoke first.

"I'm Kurtle. Do you look at me strangely because I am Ziost, or because we have seen each other before?"

Ahsoka thought over her possible reactions and simply answered, "Yes."

The boy smiled again and even let out a small laugh.

"Well, I know who you are. You are the Jedi involved in the fight down on Onderon several hours ago outside of the Senator's house."

Ahsoka narrowed her eyes and felt very exposed by this youngling.

He continued. "You don't have to worry about me, I've seen death before. The woman killed in the fight was a new acquaintance of mine, not a close friend. I am sorry for her loss though, as well as the others. I know it wasn't you that did it. Even if they are reporting it that way. Your name is Taino. Ashok Taino, no?"

This mispronunciation brought a smile to her face and softened her feelings toward the boy. She was also relieved to know that it wasn't the boy's mother who had died.

"I'm Ahsoka Tano and it would appear I'm a little too famous at the moment. How is it that a young man like yourself is traveling on this freighter, populated by more than a few nefarious passengers?"

Kurtle seemed to like this line of questioning, even repeating the new word to himself, "nefarious." He wiped his small round nose on his arm, then dug into his pack. He pulled out a small bundle wrapped in paper and proceeded to unfold it. Inside where two perfect purple jogan fruits. He offered one to Ahsoka. She accepted, but waited for him to bite into his before she tried it. While they enjoyed their rare snack, Kurtle told her his story.

"I have been traveling across the galaxy for the last year. I have had to make my way through the kindness of strangers and with funds I was able to raise. I was separated from my master. I have been to several of the core worlds and am only now, finally, making my way to the Outer Rim. I'm going to my home world of Ziost in the Esstran sector. It's a very cold planet, which is why I travel with the large satchel of clothes. There I will be reunited with my master and finish my training."

He munched down his sharp teeth into the soft purple fruit. Ahsoka was not familiar with this sector of space.

"The Ziost system, I have not heard of this place."

Kurtle swallowed, wiped his nose again and continued.

"It's a lovely place, if you like snow and ice and fabulous mountain ranges. There are two small moons that light up the night sky. It's a wonderful planet. Not very inhabited anymore though. It was once the seat of a great civilization, thousands of years ago. I'm the descendant of kings don't you know."

He smiled seeming very pleased with himself.

"To tell you the truth, I have never been to Ziost. I am part of the lost tribe of my people. My master's master found me when I was young and for much of my youth passed me from mentor to mentor. I learned as I went. I am to meet my master again at the great tower of Ziost atop the ancient citadel. It is now mostly an abandoned ruin, but the great tower is still functional and will call to me when I arrive. That is where I will complete my training."

He took a small device out of his pack. It was a portable star chart. It showed their current location and charted a path to his world. Ahsoka couldn't read many of the symbols on his small device's screen. She assumed it must be in the language of the Ziost.

Kurtle's story certainly touched home with Ahsoka. She also had been removed from her people and taken away to be taught by a series of teachers. Each building on her teachings and making her what she was today. In so many ways she loved her life, even in the face of isolation and the challenge of survival.

Ahsoka was starting to like her new cabin mate.

"Well, Kurtle, it's twenty seven hours until we reach Mandalore what should we do to pass the time?"

Kurtle's face lit up to an even brighter red. He shoved the remaining jogan fruit in his mouth, chewed, then spit the pit into his hand. He opened his three digit palm and the pit floated up into the air.

"We should train."

The fruit pit spun in circles before his electric yellow eyes.

"You have much skill that you can teach me. I am a good student and will study your lessons well."

That ill feeling returned to Ahsoka's heart, she felt confused and bewildered by this strange devilish looking boy.

"You're Force-sensitive, you have telekinetic powers, the training you speak of, is it in the ways of the Force?"

Kurtle smiled and reaching up with his other hand snatched the pit out of the air.

"Of course Ahsoka, my master was a Jedi, like you."

He moved off the couch and onto the floor. He kneeled down on one knee.

"If you take me on as even your temporary padawan, I will follow your lessons well. I will obey your commands."

He lowered his bumpy head and remained still. Ahsoka didn't know what to make of this. She knew she sensed something strange about this young boy and it wasn't just his appearance.

"Just what is it that you think I can teach you?"

He jumped to his feet in delight. Reaching for his pack.

"Why sword play of course. You are clearly a master of dual weapon combat. I have not studied this. I have my weapon."

He dug deep into his bag and pulled out an extremely old looking hilt. Its metal was black with tarnish and its end curled with intricate carvings. The designs were filled with dirt and grease and of a style she had never seen before. He held the hilt forward and activated it. At first its glow was white then quickly faded into a very dark dull purple. It was a short sword lightsaber.

"This was the weapon of my great, great, great, great, great grandfather. It was passed from generation to generation until it came to me. It is said to be over five thousand years old."

He spun the electric dagger and it hummed through the air of the cabin with a roar. He must have noticed the look of concern on Ahsoka's face. He immediately turned off the blade. He handed her the weapon and returned to digging through his bag.

"I never thought that I would use another weapon. It was a completely unthought of, before I saw you fight on Onderon. And after you vanquished your foe, you passed his weapon on to me."

He pulled the dead Sith's lightsaber out of his bag and engaged it. Its red plasma blade changed the color of the room and seemed to shine a sinister light on the already red skin of the Ziost youngling. He powered down that saber as well and waited to hear what Ahsoka had to say.

She looked at the ancient weapon in her hand. She had never held anything like it before. There were markings on the handle and it was not kept in a good condition. She lit the blade, which seemed to stay white much longer this time, before fading into a purple glow. It was an extremely well balanced weapon. It felt good to hold. It seemed to fill her with a confidence that she could wield it as a master.

It took her instantly back to the day the council bestowed upon her the title of Jedi Knight. The day she left the order. Her master would have loved this dagger. He would have liked this youngling. He reminded her of him in some ways. She felt the power of the Force move through her, focused though the ancient crystal hidden in the old hilt and the blade again pulsed white, before she extinguished it.

Kurtle's eyes watched her intently.

"My sword likes you. You have the skill to use it well."

She looked at the sword hilt in her hand. She could not decipher the markings on its side.

"What is your master's name?"

Kurtle looked down at the floor.

"I have been sworn to secrecy, to never reveal his true identity to anyone. I only told you because I saw that you to were a hunted individual. Persecuted for your belief in the Force. I know that the Imperial agent was trying to kill you, not the Senator. I see through the lies."

Ahsoka felt for the youngling. He had great honor for his master. She didn't want to press him further on it now.

"What about these marking on your dagger. Can you read them?"

Kurtle looked up, seeming much more pleased with this question.

"I can. It is in the old tongue. This marking says Ajunta. He was the first great lord of my people, he was a Jedi like you."

He pointed to the second set of markings.

"This is Pall. That is my family name. I am Pall, Kurtle Pall, but you can call me Kurtle."

He smiled his pointy smile and his tendrils curled up and then relaxed. His story was confusing and seemed to worry Ahsoka deeply. Yet, he presented a kind of naive kindness that spoke to her.

"Well, Pall, their is an empty storage unit beyond the hallway, let's go there and we can try your weapons out. May I see the red saber please?"

Kurtle seemed to hesitate, then he handed over the Sith lightsaber to her. She in turn returned the ancient dagger to him. She lit the red lightsaber. It also filled her with a sense of power. It also had a light weight and a fine balance. Its blade was long, nearly the height of Kurtle who came just up to Ahsoka's shoulders.

"I think this blade is too large for you. I'll tell you what, you let me hold onto this one, while we are together and I'll show you some two handed moves and you can use my short sword."

She clipped the Sith saber on her belt and handed her short saber to Kurtle. For a moment when she handed it to him, she remembered when Anakin gave her the second lightsaber. It changed her fighting style forever.

Kurtle and Ahsoka walked down the hall toward the empty storage unit.


	2. Two Sword Fighters

Chapter 2

Two Sword Fighters

The cargo bay door opened. A few rodent type creature scurried away from the light. Ahsoka looked to the short red skinned boy standing next to her. She guessed he must be around 13 years old.

"Can you turn on the light from here?"

Kurtle reached forward, closed his eyes, opened his three fingered hand and the cargo bay overhead lights came on.

"Good job."

Kurtle smiled up at her.

This particular bay was mostly empty with only a few crates and three large steamer trunks with the ship's captain's personal cargo. It was dusty and a little cold, but would suit their purposes for an in flight dojo. Ahsoka and Kurtle stood in the center of the large room facing each other.

"First let's use just one sword so I can see how far you are in your training."

Kurtle nodded in compliance. He stuffed Ahsoka's short sword into the waistband of his pants and lit up the Ajunta dagger in his left hand. Its glow was soft white and once again quickly faded to dark purple. Ahsoka engage her green saber and exchanged a few parries with her little red travel companion.

He was attentive, skilled in the fencing forms of lightsaber battle. His master was clearly a Jedi Guardian. She picked up the pace and engaged in an more aggressive combat style. Kurtle kept up with her. Though he was smaller than her, he fought with strength and pressure. The more she pushed the more skilled it seemed he became. He was feeding off her aggression.

This ability to let go in battle reminded her of the Jedi Masters she herself had studied with. It was a very high level technique, not embraced by all as it skirted near the Dark Side. Her former master fought this way. He had taught her much in the years they spent together in combat. She pushed the youngling with a force push, through her blade. It turned his dagger white and sent him sailing across the room.

Kurtle stood up lowered his weapon and bowed to Ahsoka.

"You have much I can learn from, Master."

Ahsoka smiled at him. "Call me Ahsoka."

"Yes, Ahsoka. Will you teach me?"

She nodded. She had always enjoyed imparting knowledge on the younglings. And it had been some time since she had met one with such ability. Kurtle Pall would make an excellent Padawan.

Adult Togrutas had a passive skill of echolocation. They had a great ability to sense movement around them. She knew they were coming, but she did her best to give no indication. She did lower her saber, however. She wanted to see if Kurtle would notice. His eyes moved first, then his head and his full attention. The cargo bay door opened a second later.

"What are you two doing in here?"

It was the ship's Captain and his First Mate. The Captain was a human named Slyde and his First Mate was a Wookiee called Fang. He did have one tooth that seemed to jet out of his mouth, giving him a ferocious look. He was an intimidating Wookiee.

Fang was the one who had allowed Ahsoka on board the ship. She met him in the streets outside the Onderon space port. He had taken a liking to her right away. He was a friend, he could be counted on. Ahsoka's bond with the Light Side of the Force combined with her natural beauty and her charismatic yet compassionate attitude made her an instantly likable person.

Ahsoka answered for them both. "We're just doing a little fencing practice. I promise that nothing in the room will be disturbed."

The Captain seemed to have his eye on one dark black trunk in particular. Fang let out a growl. The Captain rubbed his chin.

"Well, ok, a friend of Fang's is a friend of mine. Just stay out of my stuff."

They turned around to go. Fang growled a few more things to Ahsoka. Basically saying that she need not worry about the Captain, but do be mindful of his crates. Clearly he was smuggling something of extreme value. She assured him they would respect his property. Fang followed the Captain back to the front of the ship. The cargo bay doors closed behind them.

Ahsoka looked a Kurtle who was staring at her.

"You speak Wookiee?"

He was very impressed with her skills and her ability to handle people.

"Well, I've met Wookiees before and it is more a manor of focusing your attention on what they are trying to communicate rather than understanding the specifics of their language."

Kurtle considered this idea carefully.

"Will you teach me some of your two handed forms now?"

Ahsoka approved of his eagerness, but suggested patience anyway. She charged her green saber, flipped it facing down in her left hand. Then reaching with her right she engaged the red Sith saber. Since it was the longer blade, she used it as her primary weapon. Its balance and size appealed to her. She had not fought with two full size weapons in many, many years.

"Red isn't usually my color, but since meeting you I'm rethinking that."

Kurtle smiled, his white pointed teeth bright against his crimson skin. He mirrored her actions, placing the Ajunta dagger in his right hand and holding Ahsoka's short sword in his left. He nodded that he was ready.

"This is called the Shien grip and is part of the Jar'Kai style of two bladed combat."

Kurtle took this in and looked at the inverted dagger in his right hand. He made a few jabs and passes with it through the air.

"The chances of cutting oneself using this form are increased. My former Master was not a big fan. Now watch this."

Ahsoka jumped in the air, flying over Kurtle exchanged sever perries and then landed behind him. Then she kicked him, not too hard, but still making a point, right in the center of his back. Kurtle rolled forward, splaying out his blades, then jumped to his feet and turned around.

"I see, yes, I see. Had your foot been your sword, I would be dead right now. Very impressive Master. I mean, Ahsoka. Very, very impressive."

The two continued their lightsaber training. Ahsoka found Kurtle to be an sublime student and in a matter of hours had gone through all of the basic two handed forms. She then spent some time testing him to see if he was able to improvise and use the various forms interchangeably. Which to her great delight, he was. The little red boy gave her a great workout and in the end left her feeling as if her skills had been sharpened because of it. They finished their sparring and Kurtle gave her a long low bow. In return, Ahsoka gave him a hug.

His skin was very warm. The boy didn't know exactly what to do with that. He just stood with his arms at his side. This made Ahsoka giggle a little and remember the odd feelings of youth. They went back to their cabin and slept for several hours.

When Ahsoka woke, Kurtle was sitting on the couch across from her. In his hands was an elegant shiny silver blaster pistol. Clearly a valuable piece of crafted weaponry. She looked at him quizzically. He dug into his pack and pulled out a matching gun.

"I got one for you too. I figured we could sell them on Mandalore and purchase passage further out into the Rim."

Ahsoka was suspicious. "Did you get them from the Captain's trunk in the cargo hold?"

Kurtle flushed a brighter red and his tendrils curled up and down.

"You did. Kurtle, that is not right. I want you to return them and don't let anyone see you."

He tried to get out a "but" and was shut down by a stern look from Ahsoka. He got up to leave with his head hanging low. "Ok," he said defeatedly. He wasn't gone long and came back empty handed.

A minute later there was a loud thud on the compartment door. Kurtle got up and opened it. Fang stood outside. He growled to Ahsoka.

She told him, "Ok, thanks. I'd be happy to meet up with you and your friend later. I doubt I can stay long unnoticed on Mandalore."

The Wookiee growled some more then ran his big furry hand over Ahsoka's head.

"You be careful too big guy. I'll see you tonight."

Fang looked and Kurtle and growled a little more menacingly, then left. After the door was closed and the Wookiee had walked a ways down the hall, Kurtle spoke.

"He told me I was wise to put the guns back, didn't he?"

Ahsoka smiled. "He did indeed."

The ship came out of hyperspace over Mandalore and began its descent down to the planet.


	3. Trouble on Mandalore

Chapter 3

Trouble on Mandalore

The huge cargo freighter was making a short stop at the capital city on Mandalore. They were dropping off passengers and picking up workers heading out to the construction site in the less populated region of the planet. Keldabe was an amazing domed city of epic proportions.

Ahsoka had promised to meet back up with Fang before he left the city. There was a possibility that he could get her a ride off the planet with another Wookiee, whose ship was also making a short stop on Mandalore that same night. Apparently, they were the smugglers that the Captain Slyde was unloading his trunks full of weapons to.

She had just a few hours until sunset. Ahsoka remembered Mandalore as a different place. In her youth she had been a welcomed visitor at the palace and a guest of the Duchess of Mandalore. Since her death the planet had moved through the hands of various corrupt factions. Its pacifist movement had faded and the Mandalorian people were returning to their ancient warrior ways. She did have some money and needed supplies. She had left Onderon in a hurry and literally had nothing.

At the bottom of the ramp a shabby looking former clone soldier recognized her.

"Commander Tano?"

She pulled him aside on the busy spaceport sidewalk. She didn't know him for sure.

"You probably don't remember me at all, I only served with you once in the battle of Maridun. I think we all learned a lot about war and peace back then. It was one of the many reasons I deserted. I came here because there is still a large pacifist movement and they'll take in clones and give us a chance at a life of peace. What are you doing here?"

Ahsoka looked around. It was a crowded area and she had no way of knowing if the news of her supposed assassination attempt had reached Mandalore yet.

"I'm on the run. I was hoping to get some supplies and move on to planets with less Imperial contact."

The clone now understood why she was whispering.

"You can call me Tome. Why don't you come with me. I have a contact and I'm sure they can get you whatever you need and possibly even a ship. Mandalore is a wealthy system and this is the capital."

She considered this idea.

"OK, but I need to keep a very low profile."

She currently had her hooded cape on, not that it did any kind of good job in hiding the fact that she was a Togruta. Tome looked past her.

"Well, I think you are going to have a hard time doing that with your little friend here."

Standing right at Ahsoka's side was Kurtle Pall in all his glowing redness. Keldabe was an intergalactic city that was for sure, but the citizens were mostly human. Mandalorians didn't have the best reputation with acceptance of outsiders and it was bad enough being an orange skinned woman with large striped horns, but one being accompanied by a crimson red skinned boy with tentacles on his face only made her stand out more.

"Kurtle, what are your plans now?"

He smiled at her. "Same as before, Ahsoka. I'm going to work my way to Ziost. But now I will travel with you and learn as we go."

She couldn't help but feel flattered, but he was a serious addition of responsibility and made them even more of a spectacle. She took the boy aside.

"Kurtle, I'm wanted by the Empire. You know why. It will be very dangerous to travel with me."

The boy looked up at her with a look of resolution.

"Ahsoka, I can hold my own as you know. And I still have your sword." He tapped on the side of his pack. "Don't worry it is safely hidden away. I will be your servant until we must part ways. Or better yet. You can come with me to Ziost. It is a remote place. A safe place. My master will protect us both. He has ships, influence, he will take care of us."

Ahsoka read truth in the boy's words. Who was this master of his. She knew some Jedi must have survived this long. She had.

"Ok, Kurtle, but do you have something in your bag to cover your head?"

He smiled his devious grin. He reached into his sack and pulled out a strange mask, the likes of which she had never seen before. It was black with tinted eye screens and a breathing apparatus. He slipped it on and pulled up the hood of his parka. She was not sure this disguise helped in anyway.

"Well there is that." She shrugged. "Tome this is Kurtle, Kurtle this is Tome. Tome lead the way."

They followed the trooper through the busy streets of the spaceport. Then down to the ground level of the city. He stopped and made a call to his contact. Then they moved on for another ten city blocks and entered a rather nondescript building. The sidewalks were crowded with people outside. Inside it was silent.

"This is the place. There is supposed to be an apartment in the back. Number 17."

They walked down the hall toward the back of the building and knocked on the door. Another clone answered. The two men exchanged words and all three were let in. Tome began to introduce them when the clone recognized Ahsoka.

"Why did you bring her here? You have to go now!"

Tome tried to interject on Ahsoka's behalf. "Commander Tano saved the lives of hundreds of our brothers, she is our friend, we have to help her."

The clone was incredibly agitated. "I don't care about any of that. The clone war is over, she is wanted for murder. Every police officer on Mandalore is looking for her. Every bounty hunter. There is a garrison of Imperial troops here. They know you were coming this way. You'll bring down our whole operation. You have to go, now!"

Tome started to apologize. Ahsoka stopped him.

"It's alright, we'll leave. I'm sorry if we caused you any trouble."

She ushered her little masked friend toward the door and opened it to leave. On the other side of the door were five more former clones.

"Actually, you aren't going anywhere. We can turn you in and make enough money to live like kings anywhere we want."

All five were holding small phaser guns. The clone inside tried to grab her and Kurtle pulled his dagger out from his pack. He cut the clones arm off in a single pass sending an intense scream echoing down the hall. The other five clones rushed in the room. Tome was yelling for them to stop. They fired on him as well as Ahsoka. She jumped and dodged the blasts. Tome was shot down dead instantly. Kurtle jumped behind a table. They continued firing. Ahsoka had her saber out now. She deflected the laser blasts back at them, punching holes in the wall and killing two of the clones. The other three advanced, taking time to aim and firing together. She didn't have a choice, it was them or her. She cut down two more in their tracks.

The last she cut his weapon in half. The front piece fell to the floor with a thud. The clone stood there shocked. Ahsoka felt them moving in the hall outside the apartment. She turned to Kurtle.

"They are here. You must run!"

She looked at the last clone who was now panicking. His friends lay dead on the floor.

"Is there a back way out?"

He didn't respond.

"Trooper, is there a back way out of here? We are all going to be killed if we don't go now!"

The clone stuttered. "There's, There's, There's a back window that leads to an air shaft…"

The red tip of a lightsaber passed through the door and right through the clone. It retracted and he fell to the floor. The room was silent for a moment. Death was all around and three people were on the other side of the door, one of which was clearly a Sith warrior. Ahsoka turned again to Kurtle.

"Run!"

He stood his ground and lit Ahsoka's yellow short sword in his left hand. He was already holding the Adjunta dagger in the downward position in his right. The door burst open. A huge juggernaut in chrome armor filled the doorway. Behind him two soldiers in black. He walked through the door slicing through the wall with his lightsaber as he entered.

"You are under arrest."

Ahsoka backed further into the room. She felt Kurtle moving silently behind her. There was a true sense of fear emanating from the Sith juggernaut. She wasn't sure if it was effecting Kurtle, but he was staying out of sight behind her. The two other soldiers entered the room. They were Stormtroopers in black armor with short barrel phaser rifles in their hands. Ahsoka lit the red Sith saber and stood with her two weapons in a defensive stance. The Sith glared at her.

"Where did you get that sword?"

Kurtle jumped, he landed on her shoulders, temporarily turning them into a four armed, four bladed foe. This seemed to anger the juggernaut even more.

"And that mask? Forget arrest, you will both die!"

He advanced with an insane speed. Kurtle jumped. He landed behind the juggernaut. Ahsoka took the brunt of his saber strike, using both swords just to push him back. His strength was unbelieveable. In the moment of pause as she was pushed back away from the Sith, she became aware of Kurtle. He was using the two sword technique she had taught him the day before. In a single motion, he took down one Stormtrooper and disabled the blaster of the other.

The Sith advanced on her again. This time she deflected his attack, their red blades flashing as they struck each other. She parried with her green sword. The Sith slid his saber down the length of the her blade. She moved to save her hand, but not in time to stop him from lopping off the end of her lightsaber. The green blade vanished and fizzled out with a spark. She dropped the hilt to the floor.

The Sith slung his blade behind him, nearly stabbing Kurtle, who just managed to deflect the attack with his dagger. Its blade changed color to a near black and the Sith saber as well changed to a deeper crimson red. This got his attention and he turned away from Ahsoka.

"Who are you?!" He demanded and questioned simultaneously.

Kurtle spun, ducking low and taking off the right leg of the remaining Stormtrooper. The Sith raised his sword above his head and brought it down with a force that pushed Kurtle to the floor. On the ground, it was only the cross of his two swords that had saved him.

Turning his back on Ahsoka was the last mistake the Sith would make. She attempted to halve him at his midsection, but as her blade hit his armor it only cut about halfway into his side. He pulled back his attack on Kurtle and grasping his stomach turned again to face Ahsoka. He sent a wave of fear into her heart with just his menacing look. She was stunned for a second. The Sith swung his blade. She knew enough to block. Their red sabers clashed again. The Sith screamed out in pain. Kurtle had stabbed him in the back of his leg. His Force focus was broken. Ahsoka, no longer in a state of fear, disarmed him, literally. The Sith's hand fell to the floor and his saber deactivated. He fell to his knees, mortally wounded.

"You'll never escape this planet."

The last words of the Sith juggernaut hung in the now silent air of the room. Ahsoka turned her attention to Kurtle.

"Are you OK?"

He was picking up the functional Stormtrooper rifle and stuffing it into his bag. The trooper lay in shock unconscious on the floor.

"Yes, yes I'm fine."

He continued to collect all the weapons from the fallen clones in the room. Ahsoka found her next action hard to believe herself. But after examining her broken lightsaber, she found it unrepairable, the crystal inside had been shattered. She bent down and picked the Sith's lightsaber off the floor and hid it under her cape. Kurtle, the little scavenger, was now attempting to pull the armor off the juggernaut.

"We don't have time for that, we must go."

They both ran to the back of the apartment, climbed through the window and started the long climb up the air shaft. At the top they emerged in an alley. There was a taxi driver sleeping in his cab. Ahsoka tapped on the glass and held out a handful Imperial credits. The back door popped open and Ahsoka and Kurtle climbed into the speeder.

"The spaceport."

The cabbie just grunted in response. They pulled out of the alley and they could see the police units and a small division of Stormtroopers down the lane.

"Hey, let's take the long way, what do you say?" The cabbie had taken the words right out of Ahsoka's mouth.

When they arrived at the spaceport, the docking bay that led to Fang's ship was surrounded by Imperial troops.

"Just keep going."

Ahsoka was crouched down low. The cabbie dropped them off four blocks away. Ahsoka tipped him big and waving her hand before his face said, "If anyone asks, we were two rich Mandalorian traders."

The cabbie grunted in response and drove away. As they stood on the crowded spaceport streets feeling rather hopeless, fate shined on Ahsoka and her strange little companion. All though truthfully, it would have been hard to miss him. Towering over everyone and walking away from them about a half block away was a big Wookiee.

Ahsoka elbowed Kurtle. "It's Fang. Let's go!"

They walked quickly trying catch up to him. He ducked into a private space dock and they followed him down a long empty hall. When they got to the end, there was a single ship parked at the port. It was a light weight freighter, at least 50 years old if it was a day. Certainly clunky, with lots of odd modifications and plenty of damage. A real bucket of a smuggler ship. A human with a blaster on his side was pushing one of Captain Slyde's weapon filled trunks up the ramp of the ship. Ahsoka felt Fang's presence behind her as they entered the hangar bay and turned around to greet him. But it wasn't Fang at all, it was the other Wookiee Fang had mentioned. His huge hairy arms wrapped around her body squeezing the air out of her lungs and lifting her off the ground with a roar.

Ahsoka's eyes filled with tears of joy as Chewbacca spun her around like a doll.


	4. An Old Friend's New Friend's Ship

Chapter 4

An Old Friend's New Friend's Ship

Years ago in her youth, Ahsoka meet Chewbacca, under very unfortunate circumstances on the Trandoshan moon of Wasskah. They had banded together to defeat their hunters and developed an lasting camaraderie between them. Ahsoka had cherished the memory of their interaction together and as they say, a Wookiee never forgets. Chewbacca recognized her immediately, probably by scent, as she was now an adult Togruta women with larger hollow horn montrals.

Chewbacca dropped her to the floor and growled a greeting which informed her that Fang had mentioned a Togruta female in need of a ride. What a surprise it was for him that it was her. Wherever she wanted to go, he would help her get there.

She was overjoyed to see her old Wookiee friend again. She quickly explained that the Empire was after her, that they were currently questioning Slyde and/or Fang, and they would probably be heading this way soon.

"I suggest we leave immediately."

She had almost forgot about Kurtle. She turned and made to present him to her friend.

"This is Kurtle…"

Kurtle lifted up his mask and smiled a big pointed tooth grin at the Wookiee. Before he could say a word and before Ahsoka could finish her introduction, Chewbacca let out a terrific roar at the little red fellow and made as if to attack him. Kurtle jumped back flipping his mask down again and assuming a defensive position.

"Whoa! Whoa, hey Chewbacca, Kurtle is a friend, he helped save my life not an hour ago."

The Wookiee seemed to be considering this. Wookiees took life debts rather seriously. He growled that he too had a new friend of somewhat dubious character and ill repute, who had also recently saved his life; his new partner and the pilot of the smuggler ship. He let out another moan, suggesting they all get aboard.

Ahsoka turned to Kurtle. "It's ok now, he won't hurt you, this is Chewbacca, a very old and very good friend."

Kurtle took of his mask off again and stuffed it into his pack. He bowed low to the Wookie.

"Kurtle Pall at your service."

This show of respect warranted a groan of acceptance form Chewbacca. The three wildly different sized beings walked in order of height up the ramp and boarded the Millennium Falcon.

The inside of freighter looked even older than the outside, a real utilitarian vehicle. The ramp closed behind them and they walked into a central room. The man with the blaster was securing the last of the three crates of weapons against the wall.

"What's this all about Chewie? Who're these two?"

He leaned against the stack of trunks dumping his body weight into his elbow and checking out Ahsoka from head to toe. Chewbacca explained that she was an old friend and that he would like to help her and that they should probably take off right now. To Pall all this growling made no sense at all, yet somehow Ahsoka and this human were able to comprehend everything the Wookiee said. He focused his attention and tried to understand.

"Ahsoka the Jedi eh?" The pilot walked up to her taking her hand and kissed it. "I'm Han Solo and this is my ship. Any friend of Chewie's is a friend of mine."

Ahsoka liked his charmer personality, but had little use for his advances.

"I suppose I was a Jedi. I do still hold true to their belief system. The Empire certainly considers me one."

Han seemed to be only half paying attention. "Well, we are running hot anyway. If the authorities find out about the cargo we bought off of Slyde we'd all be dead. Chewie, let's blast off."

Solo and Chewbacca led Ahsoka and Kurtle to the cockpit of the ship. It was a small windowed room with four seats. Ahsoka and Kurtle took the back two. Han and Chewbacca sat in the pilot and co-pilot positions. The ship made a series of strange noises, a few clanks and even something that may have been an explosion. Then it took off with great speed and left the protective dome of the Mandalore capital city. The old ship was really fast, that much was for sure. They rocketed out of orbit in seconds and went to light speed.

Han swiveled around in his chair. "So who is your little red friend here?"

Ahsoka opened her mouth to speak, but didn't get a word in.

"You're from Korriban aren't you? I've seen your species before. The elite of the Empire seem to think of that place as some kind of spiritual mecca. It's more like some archeological graveyard if you ask me. You know I'm surprised Chewie even let you on the ship. He had a bad run in with one of your species before."

Han looked at Ahsoka for a second and continued to speak.

"You must be some friend. What did you say your name was again?"

He glanced past Kurtle and checked the controls. Kurtle stood up.

"My name is Kurtle Pall and I am from Ziost. My people did evolved from a blended species that share a genetic line with a species that once lived on Korriban."

He started to dig in his bag. Ahsoka looked perplexed. Korriban, she had heard that name before, she couldn't be sure where, but seemed to think it was from an old bed time story that Master Plo had told her when she was a child. There were scary monsters on Korriban. She had questions, but didn't want to ask them in front of the boy. Kurtle pulled out a pile of blasters from his bag.

"Maybe we could sell these weapons to the person buying the weapons in your trunks and we could use the money to pay you to take us to Ziost. It is in the Esstran sector."

Solo looked over the pile of blasters. It was a variety of pistols and the Stormtrooper rifle. First he pointed out the Imperial weapon.

"That is a weapon manufactured for Imperial troops. I can definitely get a buyer for that one. The rest of this stuff looks like junk, but this one..."

He picked up the largest of the blaster pistols and tried its weight in his hand. Then he threw his own blaster into Kurtle's gun pile. He put the new blaster in his holster and pulled it out quick draw style a few times. Then he held it out in front of his face.

"This one, Kurtle my friend, will get you through the Gordian Reach." He put the blaster back in his holster and sat down in his chair again. "We are heading to Jovan Station, not far from the Yavin system. You two should be able to get a ride from there into the Esstran sector for sure. How much trouble are you in anyway?"

Ahsoka explained her situation to Solo, much to his dismay. There was an Imperial presence on Jovan Station, as it was the main space hub in the Reach. It was a good jumping off point to the deeper sections of the Outer Rim including the remote and somewhat isolated Esstran sector. It was a good distance to the station and Solo suggested everyone relax for a while. He would handle the piloting. It was really his attempt at clearing the bridge of his ship. He pulled out the blaster again and looked at it.

"This is a real nice blaster kid. I'll tell you what, I know a guy who knows a guy that makes runs out to those dead worlds in Esstran. We'll sell your blasters and see if one of his ships can take you to Ziost. How does that sound?"

He slid the blaster back in his holster. He was keeping it, that was for sure. Kurtle was very pleased with this transaction.

"Why thank you very much Captain Solo, I'm glad you like the weapon. I have no use for it other than trade."

Chewbacca and Ahsoka walked to the center room of the ship and left Han to talk arms dealing with Kurtle.

"How much do you think we can get for these weapons?"

Solo rubbed his chin. "Well, I don't know about these three, but this one, plus my old one, plus the Imperial rifle…"

Ahsoka and Chewbacca sat down for a long chat. They caught each other up with their lives and experiences. Ahsoka found him an amazing listener and the stories of his exploits and life challenges were just as exotic as her own. His tale even intertwined with hers when he told her of sending Yoda off safely into hiding. It was a small galaxy. After the weapons deal they were heading to Kashyyyk, the Wookiee home world. It had been having many troubles since the end of the Clone War and Chewbacca had family business to attend to. He invited both Ahsoka and her friend to join them. He felt they would be both safe in hiding with them and a true help in the event of confrontation.

"I would like nothing more than to visit your planet and help your people, but I'm very perplexed by my little travel companion. In truth, I know little about him. He was trained by some Jedi, that is apparent, but he won't tell me who. He's determined to make his way to Ziost and going with him may be the only way I find out who this Jedi is. I sense danger with him. If I judge him by his actions since we met, he is loyal, dedicated, humble, polite. Yet he is also a deadly warrior and a thief."

A Wookiee laugh is a rare and contagious thing. Ahsoka laughed with her big furry friend. Who was she to judge, how many lives had she taken and there she was on a smuggler's freighter. Chewbacca warned her of calling out thief aboard a pirate ship. They both laughed again.

Ahsoka pulled up as much information as she could on the navicomputer about the Esstran sector. Chewbacca told her much of the ship's records had been wiped multiple times to hide information from various authorities. He was able to show her that the Esstran sector was actually made up of two sectors and the part that contained Korriban and Ziost was in an older sector once known as Sith space. Korriban had been a dead world for thousands of years, but Chewbacca, who was himself well over a hundred years old, was able to tell her a story that Korriban was thought by some to be the Sith home world. They had little information on Ziost. Only that it was a cold world and was located on the outer edge of the second section of the Esstran sector: Sith space.

Could Kurtle be the genetic descendant of ancient Sith. Ahsoka had grown to like him very much these last two days, but she was deeply concerned now. She wanted to find out who this Jedi master was. She felt her destiny was pulling her to Ziost.

The Falcon dropped out of light speed. Chewbacca and Ahsoka returned to the cockpit. Solo was flipping switches and adjusting knobs.

"We are coming up on Jovan."

They all looked out the ship's window at the huge rotating space station. There were three gigantic interstellar freighters docked with the station and two Imperial Star Destroyers.

"Maybe I should've said there's a large Imperial presence here."


	5. Jovan Station

Chapter 5

Jovan Station

The Millennium Falcon slowed to an approach speed and made to dock with the station. They intentionally chose on upper level port on the opposite side of the station of the two docked Imperial Star Destroyers. After communicating with Jovan central control, Han Solo negotiated a 36 hour docking permit and permission to bring freight aboard. He assured central control that they wouldn't be around that long, to which they responded: "That's what they all say, welcome to Jovan."

The ship's docking clamps grabbed hold of the station and the hatch seal pressurized. Han powered down most of the ship and jumped out of his chair.

"Time to make some money, Chewie."

Ahsoka remained seated. "I hate to say this, but I think it would be better for everyone if I stay on board and mind the ship."

Han thought this over. Chewie growled some words of reassurance to him and he conceded.

"Ok, but don't touch anything and don't let anyone on this ship while we are gone. Especially Jovan repair crews or droids. At least there are still independent stations like this out here. And don't worry, we won't draw any Imperial attention."

She was a little worried.

Kurtle put on his mask and his hood and offered to help with the lifting. Han, to Ahsoka's surprise, agreed. He looked like a pile of short rags. The three of them together had that scallywag look of deep space traders. With their old ship and the old trunks maybe they could easily walk on do some trading and then walk off unnoticed.

Ahsoka was left behind with nothing to do. She went to the center of the ship and sunk into deep contemplation.

The three traders of varying heights walked through the hatch onto Jovan Station, locking the ship's door behind them. Chewbacca pushed two crates, Kurtle pushed one and Han walked ahead with his hand resting on his new blaster cocked out to the side like a real space cowboy.

"Chewie, you're sure we can trust her with the Falcon."

He groaned a reply of complete assurance.

"Well, ok then, Milo's shop is down two decks from here, I think."

They made their way past boarding security which was really just a toll collection booth and took the first elevator bank they came to down two levels. They passed another smaller checkpoint, paid another smaller entry fee and passed through a large doorway into the bazaar.

The merchant floor was crowded and bustling. Species from all across the galaxy seemed to be gathering here; humanoids, reptilians, aquatics, insectoids, and some that just defied logic. They all intermixed with droids of all shapes, sizes, and makes. And they were all selling something. They pushed their trunks down ten rows of stalls and shops to the back section of the deck where the more permanent merchants had established shops. Han signalled the way.

"Yeah, this seems right, it's been a long time, back this way."

Passed the ship dealers, the speeder bike displays, and what was most certainly some kind of humanoid trafficking business was the arms dealer row. Shop after shop filled with weapons and gadgets of all styles and sizes. War, security, surveillance, hunting, espionage, you name it, they had it. Han pushed open a purple glass door into one of the more expensive looking shops.

"This is it."

The inside of the shop was filled with glass cases lined with exotic looking weapons made out of exotic looking materials. The pistols Kurtle tried to steal from the trunks earlier would fit right in here. Behind the counter at the back of the store stood a tall Quarren; a strange water world creature with an exaggerated squid like head. Upon seeing Solo he came out from behind the counter. His voice was squeaky and swung in pitch when he talked.

"Are these the weapons I've been expecting?"

Solo went up to the creature and slapped him on the back. "Milo you old sea dog, you know I'd never let you down."

The expression on Milo's face seem to be one of disbelief.

"Please bring the trunks in the back."

He waved them all into a back room and waved out a female Quarren to mind the shop. At least she seemed to be a female, it was hard to be sure with some species.

They opened each trunk and Milo inspected the merchandise with great excitement. The trunks were filled with weapons of such design and of such exquisite materials, that just looking at them silenced the room. And they were all as deadly as they were beautiful. Milo finished his inspection and closed the lids of each trunk. On the lid of the last trunk he set three small golden aurodium ingots. These chunks of precious metal were of considerable value in any system, easily a million credits each. Solo immediately protested.

"Now Milo, you said five, not three."

Milo's tentacle covered face flushed.

"Three crates, three aurodium. The price is very fair."

Solo was beside himself. "Fair! Do you know how far these have traveled, how many hands they have passed through. They are worth ten times that much!"

Milo snapped his fingers and six more Quarrens entered the room from a back door and stood silently. Chewbacca barked a small noise at them. Solo didn't back down.

"Look Milo, fair is fair and you said five. We took a huge risk getting them to you and I personally shelled out everything I had to get them. I even had to borrow money from the Hutts to float the bill. Now what do you say?"

Milo folded his arms. "You can take three or you can take them somewhere else."

Solo knew his was in a jam, at three he would only be able to break even. He was of course lying about borrowing money from the Hutts, but Milo didn't know that and the Hutts scared Quarrens. He was trying to play it cool and was considering going to another shop, but knew this was his best bet.

"I know you can give me four."

Milo smiled his fishy grin, he knew he had Solo right where he wanted him.

"Three and a half and nothing more."

This was crushing Solo and he was forced to consider it. Kurtle was digging in his pack again. He dumped his weapon collection on the top of the trunk. He waved his hand at Milo and said,

"This should bring the price up to five."

Milo seemed dazed, shook his head, slime flinging off his tentacles in every direction.

"What? who? Five? No, this worthless junk."

He picked up the Stormtrooper rifle and threw it at Kurtle.

"What are you doing with this, do you want to get us all killed. You put that right back in your bag." He looked down at the other blaster guns. "I'll give you twenty thousand credits for this bunch, take it or leave it."

Kurtle returned the Imperial blaster to his pack and brought out Ahsoka's yellow short sword lightsaber. He set the hilt down on top of his pistols and lifting up his mask looked Milo right in the eye. Milo flushed, his eyes seemed to even bulge out a little. He picked up the saber and lit the yellow blade. Its soft glow filled the room.

"Yes, I did say five and five it shall be."

Milo turned off the lightsaber and threw down two more aurodium pieces. Solo was giddy with excitement.

Kurtle spoke up, "Not five. Nine."

Solo almost passed out. Milo's face went into a fury.

"Six."

"Eight."

"Seven."

"Deal."

Milo stuck out his hand and little Kurtle stepped forward and shook it. He took one aurodium piece and handed six to Solo. He bowed low to Milo and pulled his mask back down.

"It was our pleasure doing business with you."

Milo signaled to his men to pick up the trunks and he escorted the three men to the front of the shop.

"Solo, my friend, you've got a fine crew here, now that you are men of affluence why don't you all get some new clothes, on me."

He filled Solo's hand with twenty thousand credits, presumably what he thought the blasters were worth.

The three moved in a straight path to the elevators. They entered an empty car, Solo selected the banking level and the doors closed.

"Yee-ess!" Han jumped into the air. "Kid, you really blew me away back there. That was amazing! Chewie, we are set for a good while and we'll be heading to Kashyyyk in style."

They exited at the money exchange. Solo cashed out one ingot for nearly 1.2 million credits. His good spirits getting the best of him, he gave Kurtle four hundred thousand.

"Your share of the bonus, kid great job!"

He just winked at Chewbacca, they would split up the rest right down the middle later. They rode back up one level above the bazaar. They walked down several halls and passed through an Imperial checkpoint with only some delay, after all they had plenty of cash now. They walked into the office of Kreegman Sluur. He was one of the Empires underworld contacts and he would know how to get a ship to Ziost. Solo was surely going to help his new buddy Kurtle get where he wanted to go.

Back on the Falcon Ahsoka had fallen asleep. She hadn't had a peaceful rest in a couple days and she slept for hours. She was awaken by a banging on the door of the ship. Startled, she headed over to the hatch. It was several people banging and pounding and yelling from the other side. She paused at the hatch, focused her mind, then opened it. In came Solo, spilling a red bottle of some of drink on the floor as he tripped over the doorway. He had a blue skinned Twi'lek woman on his arm. He was dressed in all new clothing. He had a brand new white shirt, a black vest with matching pants with a red stripe down the side and high sided black boots.

Then came Chewbacca with a roar, his arms filled with packages. Ahsoka could smell the food. Finally, Kurtle, also with new boots and a new black cloak. His pack seemed to be busting at its seams. She closed the door behind the boisterous bunch. Han stopped, took a big slug from the red bottle and gave Ahsoka a huge hug.

"We are going to take you personally to meet a ship that will take you to Ziost. Tomorrow!"

He stumbled off down the hall into his cabin and closed the door. Chewbacca set down a bunch of food and waved Ahsoka in. She was hungry. Kurtle said he had eaten his full already, was now in desperate need of sleep and went off to one of the small side rooms on the freighter. Ahsoka joined Chewbacca and thoroughly enjoyed the wide variety of exotic food he had brought. Green, yellow, purple and blue fruits, savory red and white meats were polished off with sweet cakes and sparkling water. Ahsoka ate as much as the Wookiee.

Two hours later the ship was silent except for Chewbacca's snoring. Ahsoka woke up to movement. The Twi'lek woman was sneaking out. Ahsoka saw her eyeing the food on the table.

"Would you like something to eat?"

The two women smiled at one another.

"Oh yes, thank you."

The Twi'lek stuffed her small bag with food and headed toward the door. Ahsoka followed her to and let her out, locking down the ship after she left. When she turned around Kurtle was standing at the end of the hallway. He was dressed in all black, form fitted clothing. He looked sleek and far less childish than he normally appeared. His dark red skin seemed all the more intense atop this outfit.

"Ahsoka. My path to Ziost was blocked. The Empire is not letting ships in and out of the Esstran sector. Han offered to bring us in the back way, but it would take much time and your friend Chewbacca is needed on his home world. We did find a way, however. There is one licensed ship free to move about the system. We can meet up with it tomorrow at a small station on the edge of the Gordian Reach. The lightsaber trade we made, the red for the short yellow will have to be permanent."

He paused, lowered his head and once again seemed to be a young teenage boy. Ahsoka was noticeably disturbed by this.

"What happened?"

He looked up. "I had to sell it to secure enough money for passage." He held up the gold aurodium piece. Ahsoka understood its high value.

"You could buy us a ship with that." And she was right.

"But we could never take it to Ziost. This is the only way. And there is more."

He slipped the gold piece back in his pocket. Ahsoka looked very cross at him.

"What else?"

He smiled as if to cushion the blow.

"The ship is lambda-class, an Imperial shuttle."

Ahsoka's eyes nearly rolled out of her head.

"It's independently operated and is primarily used for moving dignitaries to and from Korriban. I've booked passage for two through an associate of Han's. They will take us to Ziost. What do you think of my disguise? I got one for you too, plus warm clothes for the planet surface."

He looked at her with a very hopeful expression. Ahsoka didn't know what to think.


	6. Let's Get Outa Here

Chapter 6

Let's Get Outa Here

Ahsoka reviewed her situation: She was on the run from the Empire and probably plenty of bounty hunters as well. She had lost both her lightsabers. She was wanted falsely, but wanted none the less, for murder and an assassination attempt on a Galactic Senator. She was aboard a smuggler ship docked at an Imperial controlled space station crawling with troops. She had two Sith lightsabers and a little Sith species sidekick wanting to lead her on an expedition into an old and restricted region of Sith Space. The appearance of Chewbacca had brought her much joy and his immediate plans would certainly make a space for her in them if she wanted. Yet, the mystery of Kurtle Pall seemed to fixate in her mind. She did want to reconnect with any living Jedi's from her youth and she felt Pall might provide her a chance for this. He also made an excellent student and this prospect appealed to her as well. She tried her best to read his expression in the dark hallway of the Millennium Falcon.

"Kurtle, that sword was not your's to sell."

His posture shrank and he stared at his new black boots. Ahsoka put her hands on her hips and let out a long sigh.

"Can you tell me anything else about your master? The Jedi who taught you? What makes you so sure he will be on Ziost if it is so hard to get to and so guarded?"

He kept his head down at first.

"I'm sorry about losing your sword. It seemed the only way at the time."

He paused seeming to think about what to say next. Ahsoka realized she was dealing with a youngling and was about to comfort him.

"My master was once on the Jedi Council. He will be on Ziost, I know it. When we get there you will see. I am drawn there. You feel it too."

He was right. She did feel that her mind was already made up about going to Ziost. It also seemed that the more obstacles that got in the way, the more she wanted to go. As if Kurtle's mission had become her own. Kurtle pulled his dagger out of his boot. He held out the lightsaber hilt to her. Its ancient runes seemed to be glowing white in the darkened ship.

"You may have my dagger as a replacement if that will make up for my mistake."

Kurtle was speaking the truth and waiting for her to take it. She founder herself feeling under her cloak and touching the two red lightsabers she currently possessed. She thought about trading him one. She felt a great temptation to take the dagger. Its soft white glow called to her. She paused to clear her mind.

Kurtle pressed her. "Would you trade me back the red sword from Mandalore for it?"

She resisted. "No Kurtle. That is your dagger. Your family sword. I cannot take it from you."

Kurtle wrapped his three fingered hand around the hilt of the dagger. Its glow changed to a deep purple and then vanished. He stuck it back into his boot.

"I understand if you don't want to travel with me to Ziost. Thank you for all you have taught me Ahsoka."

He meant it. This got through to her.

"Patience is something I need to teach you next. I will make my decision in the morning. It would seem I am at least travelling with you to the next station. You've done a great job of winning Han over. And apart from selling my sword, me too."

Kurtle smiled his big pointed tooth grin.

"We could get it back right now, we just need to sneak back into the…"

Ahsoka stopped him mid sentence.

"Patience Kurtle. The risk of going back on the station to steal a Jedi sword is certainly not worth us all being killed over. I will rethink my options and move forward in the morning."

Kurtle went back to his room. Ahsoka sat cross legged on the couch next to the softly snoring Chewbacca. She had really wanted that dagger and it concerned her. She also thought of how many time she and her former master had boarded enemy ships and got out alive. Could she and Kurtle dash on board, steal back her sword and fight their way out if necessary? The weapons dealer had paid handsomely. She had no legal recourse for getting it back. It didn't seem like the Jedi way. She tried to think of better options. Something that didn't involve a robbery while sneaking on the station. She assumed they would be aware of her here just like on Mandalore.

Kurtle came back into the room. He placed a parcel of clothing at her feet.

"These are for you, either way. They will benefit you on Kashyyyk just as much as they would on Ziost. I bought extremely thin soled boots, perfect for a Togruta. I'm sure they will fit you. I have a good eye for detail. I'm sorry again about the sword. Goodnight Ahsoka."

She smiled at the youngling. "Goodnight Pall."

After he left she pulled the new boots out and tried them on. They were made of a soft and thin, yet durable and strong black material. She stood up and walked around. They were an excellent fit, flexible and allowed her to really feel the floor beneath her feet.

She smiled to herself repeating Kurtle's words. "Perfect for a Togruta." She did like them, very much indeed.

The enormous Jovan Station spun around twelve times before anyone aboard the Falcon woke up. They all gathered around the table in the center of the freighter and enjoyed a lavish breakfast. Han went on and on about Kurtle's expertise in negotiation and how they had made a killing. His spirits were incredibly high and Ahsoka didn't feel she should rain on his parade by telling him it was her sword. Kurtle just squirmed in his seat and humbly denied the praise. Chewbacca engaged Ahsoka in a quick repair job, installing an new power cell they had purchased. Han was convinced they would get a real power boost from it. While she worked with the engineering genius of a Wookiee she told him about the sword being hers. Chewbacca insisted on giving her the money and even volunteered to get it from Kurtle on her behalf.

"Chewbacca, you're as sweet as you are good with starship mechanics."

She gave the big walking carpet a hug. They headed up to the cockpit. Chewbacca growled that they were ready to go. Han unclamped the ship and they drifted away from the station. Solo powered up the engines and had a blowout. The smell of smoke was present.

"Chewie, that new cell over loaded something. Go check it out."

Chewbacca stormed out of the room. They continued to drift quietly in space. Chewbacca howled from the back of the ship.

"Ok, Ok, it's off. I'm resetting." Han yelled back at him.

Ahsoka was just about to go in the back and help him when two Imperial TIE Fighters came into view in the distance. She ducked behind the seat and laid down on the floor. They came over the communication system.

"Corellian freighter are you in trouble?"

Han flipped switches frantically.

"Chewy, we need power, we gotta get outa here!"

It seemed like just a matter of seconds went by. "Corellian freighter do you need assistance? What is your designation, crew, and cargo manifest?"

Han was livid. "Chewie, now would be great!"

Chewbacca roared, just a second, from the back of the ship. Kurtle sat in his seat, not really able to help.

"Corellian freighter please respond."

Ahsoka pulled on Kurtle's pant leg. "Cover me I need to get away from the windows."

Kurtle stood up and pretended to be checking control panels. Ahsoka crawled out of the room on her belly. As soon as she was out of sight of the windows she stood up and ran to help Chewbacca. He was running toward the front of the ship and they met in the hall. He roared instructions for her to connect the new cell again when he gave her the signal. She understood, continued running to the back of the ship and grabbed hold of the wrench she would need to make the connection. She sat and waited. Han in the front knew he had to say something. He addressed the fighter's.

"We're just having a bit of trouble with a new power cell. Should be good to go in a second."

Chewbacca came into the cockpit, brushed Kurtle aside and re-aligned the power matrix there.

"Corellian freighter do you need a repair crew. What is your stated destination?"

Han was ready to restart.

"They just don't let up."

Chewie roared out a "Now!" Ahsoka torqued the wrench. The engine kicked over and the power levels went instantly to max. The Falcon let out a few groans then seemed to be perfect. Solo hit the communications relay.

"We're all set now. Thank you for your concern."

He turned to his co-pilot. "Let's get out of here."

The TIE Fighter made one last attempt. "Corellian freighter…"

The Falcon blasted away from the station at tremendous speed. The Fighters instantly pursued. Two laser blasts tinged off the rear deflector shield as they went to light speed and left the station behind. Ahsoka came rushing back into the room.

"Did we lose em?"

Solo spun around with a big grin on his face.

"Those guys, they can't keep up with the Falcon." He leaned back in his chair looking smug and feeling rather pleased with himself.

"And if they report us to this outpost we are heading to, what do you plan on doing then?"

Solo rubbed his chin, thinking over her question.

"They have better things to do. And even if they did, we'll figure it out when we get there. Don't worry about it."


	7. On the Edge of Sith Space

Chapter 7

On the Edge of Sith Space

The Millennium Falcon dropped out of lightspeed parallel to the Esstran sector. There was no one else around. They cruised along the unseen borderline, heading toward the coordinates of the jump off station.

"Chewie hit that jammer. I don't want anyone knowing we're here."

Chewbacca roared in response. Solo looked back to Kurtle Pall who was sitting silently in his chair.

"Well kid, we're almost there. She's been gone a long time, I don't know if she's going with ya?"

Kurtle had no response. Han turned to Chewbacca muttering under his breath.

"She's bent out of shape about the sword, right."

Chewbacca growled at him, knowing he had already said too much.

The cockpit door opened and everyone turned to see her.

"Whoa! You look convincing, a little intimidating, but definitely convincing." Han smiled his most charming grin.

Ahsoka stood in the doorway dressed in black and chrome. She was the female counterpart to the Sith juggernaut she battled on Mandalore. She was wearing shiny chrome shin guards that ran up the front of her boots and one sided forearm gauntlets reaching from her hands to her elbows. She had skin tight black pants and shirt to match with a two thick black harness belts that crossed each other and went up and over her hips on each side. A lightsaber hung off each one. On her shoulders draped a long black fur lined cape with a hood. She had a very serious and menacing look on her face.

"Kurtle Pall, I'm going with you."

The room was silent. Then she cracked a big smile and they all laughed together. Chewbacca being the most boisterous with the most volume. Ahsoka looked past everyone.

"Is that where we are meeting the ship?"

Ahead of them and just over the border into the sector was a very old looking station. It seem to consist of a power generator unit and a hangar. It was easily big enough to fit several medium sized freighters. No communications came from the station. Solo glided up next to it, passed through the force field covering the hangar bay and landed the Falcon on the deck. There were two smaller long range crafts parked in the hangar, but they looked as if they hadn't been used in years. Not a moment after they shut down did two sizable canons dropped out of the ceiling and took aim at the ship. Over a loudspeaker came a gruff voice.

"Identify yourself or be destroyed. It's all the same to me."

Solo clicked on his intercom.

"I'm dropping two passengers heading to Ziost. They booked passage through Kreegman Sluur at Jovan." He raised up his shoulders in a moment of silence, signaling we'll see.

"Well, why didn't you say so." The voice blasted across the hangar and the guns retracted into the ceiling. "The shuttle isn't here yet, come on in."

A real sense of relief came over the expression on Solo's face.

"Look, if you two are sure this is where you want to go and if it is all the same to you, we are going to just drop you off and get out of here before that shuttle shows up."

Chewbacca growled a rebuff to this. Ahsoka told him it was fine and rested a hand on his shoulder. Kurtle had transferred the contents of his old pack into a new more streamlined hard shelled black backpack. He put it on under his cape and stood up to go.

"Thank you very much for your effort to bring us this far Captain Solo and thank you for tolerating my presence Chewbacca."

He gave them both a low bow, which Chewbacca reciprocated with a nod and a grunt.

"Good luck out there kid, I hope you two find what you are looking for."

Ahsoka shook the space pirate's hand and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank's for everything, flyboy."

Han waved them out of the room. Chewbacca walked them to the ramp. Kurtle walked down and boarded the station. Ahsoka and Chewbacca said goodbye in languages Kurtle did not understand. A second after Ahsoka's foot hit the deck the ramp closed up and just before it sealed the farewell roar of a Wookiee echoed across the hangar bay. The two elegantly dressed figures in black moved away from the freighter and the Millennium Falcon lifted off the ground, its engines pulsed for a second, then it rocketed out of the hangar and was gone.

At the back of the bay there was a large tinted glass window about three stories up. The operator must have been watching them from there. A large door to the left of the window opened and an older model faded metal protocol droid shuffled out.

"I am D9-U67-G4413. The station manager Zebby Tembo has offered to let you join him in the observation deck. Please identify yourselves."

Kurtle stepped forward. "I am Kurtle Pall of Ziost, Shadow Hand to my master Zelka Kulista."

He used the name of a woman he vaguely remembered as his mother's sister. Kurtle gestured to Ahsoka. She gave the most imperceptible of nods, which of course the protocol droid picked up on.

"You are both welcome, please follow me."

The droid shuffled back through the door and down the hall followed by the two figures in black. The hall had the feeling of a warehouse, all the doors being big enough to maneuver large vehicles or freight through. At the end of the hall they proceeded up three levels of ramps and were led through a normal sized door to the observation deck at the back of the station. A kind of a lounge space, like a long ago shut down night club. Its back wall was one huge window looking out into space. A four armed Besalisk stood up off the big couch in front of the window. He signalled them over with three of his arms in successive movements. This rotund, large jowled creature with big hands had a cheerful friendly grin on his face.

"Come in, come in. Join me for a drink over by the window, we can gaze at the beauty of the Stygian Caldera." He chuckled a full belly laugh. "Unless you Imperials are too grand to drink with the likes of on old spacer like me."

Ahsoka took an instant shine to this fellow. The protocol droid led them over to the window.

"May I present Kurtle Pall and his master Zelka Kulista. This is Chrissy Zebby Tembo."

The Besalisk reached out with two hands and shook their hands simultaneously.

"Yes, yes that's fine DUG, now go get them something to drink. I'm Chrissy Zebby Tembo, but you can call me Zebby if you like." He chuckled again, in fine spirits.

Kurtle lowered his head and gave him a bow. Ahsoka couldn't help but smile at the friendly creature. He threw one arm up in the air, put two on his hips and rubbed his chin with a fourth.

"You look like a Sith, but you don't seem like no Empire type to me. Who are you really?"

Kurtle got aggressive with him. "You watch your tongue troll or I'll cut you in half."

Ahsoka knew they had to play the part and she may have inadvertently given them away already. Chrissy Zebby Tembo was taken aback, but only slightly.

"Now, now my little red skinned man, no one is doubting your authenticity. It's just been a long time since we had the sunshine from such a beautiful smile on board this station. I didn't mean to be giving offenses by saying it." He waved behind them. "Here comes DUG with some drinks, take a load off, have a seat."

They all sat on the oversized crescent shaped couch. The protocol droid served them each a drink of a warm liquor.

"I'm D9-U67-G4413 at your service."

Zebby waved him away. "Yes, yes, thank you DUG. He's so very formal when we have guests."

He took a big slug from his glass and gestured toward the window with one of his hands. Then leaned in closer smiling at them both.

"That my new friends is the Stygian Caldera nebula and in it is your destiny." They looked out the window at a distant gaseous anomaly, a birthplace of stars and planets. "Beyond the green walls of the nebula and nestled in its hollow core are the ancient realms of the Sith. The largest of the planets is Korriban, that's where your people come from my little red friend and the next largest is Ziost. Where your people migrated under the leadership of the Dark Jedi." He looked at Kurtle, then too Ahsoka. "Much like you smiling lady. You're a Jedi Knight aren't you? I'll bet my space helmet you are."

Ahsoka was one to follow her heart. She trusted this jolly old Besalisk, this Chrissy Zebby Tembo. He was a good guy, she knew it.

"I was a Jedi Knight once, it's true."

She smiled at him again. He slapped both his knees and clapped his other two hands together at the same time.

"Ha! I knew it! I've seen plenty of fancy agents of the Emperor come through here and not one of them smiled at me like you do. Not one of them is friendly and sits down for a talk and a drink. What do you know, a real live Jedi, it's been years since I've seen one of you. Damn glad to meet you. What did you say your name was again?"

Ahsoka thought for a second and before Kurtle could jump in again she spoke. She was smiling again anyway and it surely gave her away.

"My name is Ahsoka Tano, and that information could fetch you a pretty penny. But we can trust you right, can't we Chrissy?"

Zebby Tembo laughed another big belly laugh and slapped his knees again.

"You sure can. Hey, only my very good friends call me Chrissy. Now just because I work for these Sith doesn't make me an evil guy you know." He immediately looked to Kurtle, whom Ahsoka's charm had made him forget. "Now, don't get mad at me again little red fellow. I'm not meaning any harm against your once great people."

Kurtle stood up and bowed low to Chrissy Zebby Tembo.

"I apologize sir. If Ahsoka trusts you, I do as well. But we must travel safely to Ziost. I assume you will help us with this?"

Zebby Tembo looked them both in the eye. "You two are up to something good aren't you. I can see right past your black clothes."

Ahsoka knew she had judged him correctly.

"We are in search of another Jedi we believe to be in hiding on the planet Ziost."

Tembo was taken aback again by this news. "Well, I don't know about that, but it would be a good place to hide. It's got plenty of vast landscapes, old growth forests and great abandoned cities. It is the ruined capital of the Sith Empire of thousands of years past, don't you know." He took another big gulp from his drink and leaned back into the couch. "Your choice of name is the best off all, Kurtle Pall, that name will get you respect from all them Imperial bigwigs."

Kurtle spoke up. "That is my real name."

Chrissy Zebby Tembo didn't believe him. "Oh is it now. And I suppose you are even a direct descendant of Ajunta Pall himself then?"

Kurtle stood up again. "That I am sir."

Zebby still wasn't buying any of this. "Sure you are. I believe that about as much as I believed she was a Sith.

Kurtle started to look cross. "I am who I say I am. I can prove it." He reached into his boot and pulled out his dagger and held it before the Besalisk. Zebby Tembo looked down at the dagger hilt amazed.

"Ajunta Pall's dagger, not in all my years...does it still function?"

Kurtle stepped back and lit up the blade. It pulsed white then faded to a deep dark purple glow. Zebby was beside himself.

"I've seen a whole lot of the galaxy and I've watched power change hands and I've been here in the outer rim for a good while too. But I've never seen the likes of you two. A Jedi Knight princess and the great great grandson of Ajunta Pall. Who did you say this Jedi was you were going to meet?"

Kurtle extinguished his dagger and put it away. "That, I can not tell you." He sat back down on the couch in silence.

Chrissy Zebby Tembo was intrigued. "You two must know you can trust me. You must be able to read me, like I read you. I would not betray you. Not ever." He looked to Ahsoka with a big dopey grin. "Ahsoka, I was able to perceive your identity it is true, but that is because your kindness showed through. You'll need to hide that better if you're to journey to Ziost. I will pilot you there myself when my partner returns with the shuttle."

Ahsoka smiled more. "We do trust you Chrissy."

He leaned back again releasing the grip two of his hands had on his knees. "I assume you both know the story of Ajunta Pall then?"

Ahsoka sat up. "No, I don't, please tell us."

Kurtle seemed to squirm a bit and Zebby Tembo sat up straight as can be. "DUG! another round of drinks." He finished his glass and looked Ahsoka in the eyes. "Ajunta Pall was the very first Dark Lord of the Sith."

Ahsoka turned to Kurtle. "It this true."

Kurtle lowered his head. "Yes."

Her eyes lit up. "Kurtle are you a Sith as well?"

He kept his head low and silent. Tembo came to his defense.

"Of course he is, but maybe not like you think. He is a Sith species, a pure blood. He is of the native indigenous people of the planet Korriban. 4000 years ago Ajunta Pall and a group of Dark Jedi came to his world and conquered the primitive species that lived there. The Sith species. The source of the name Sith. Humans interbred with the species over the centuries and would eventually migrate to Ziost and the other planets in the sector and start the first great Sith Empire." DUG dropped off another round of drinks.

"The Sith of today, the agents of the Empire that visit the archaeological sites on these worlds, why they would kill us all to get at that dagger in your boot. If that is, and I believe it could be, Ajunta Pall's dagger. It is an artifact of priceless worth and incredible power. I believe you are who you say you are Kurtle. To wield such a weapon."

Ahsoka was taking all this in and trying to make sense of everything when DUG jumped in alarm.

"The shuttle is returning sir."

Chrissy slugged down his drink, then eyeing Kurtle's untouched second glass. He grabbed it and started to drink it as well. He leaned back into the couch. "Watch this." He pointed with one of his free hands out the window.

A small reflection, like a twinkling star in the distance, came out of the nebula. It was moving at great speed and as it closed in on the station it became apparent that it was a tri-winged Imperial shuttle. It sat still in space some distance away from the station for what only seemed like a moment. DUG jumped again.

"Two cruisers dropping out of hyperspace sir."

A second later two Imperial Star Destroyers filled the space and the window before them. Ahsoka moved in her seat. Zebby Tembo calmed her anxiety.

"Don't worry Ahsoka, they're just picking someone up, they aren't coming here. I've got DUG wired into the station's sensors and communications system. He's like my walking portable command center. We're good, right DUG."

The protocol droid's eyes flashed a bit.

"The cruisers are communicating with the shuttle. Permission has been granted for them to dock."

Out the window, the shuttle flew up under one of the Star Destroyers and through a hangar entrance on the bottom of the ship. Not two minutes had passed before it flew out again.

Chrissy finished Kurtle's drink. "See, no big deal."

The two Destroyers repositioned themselves and went to light speed again. Then only the shuttle remained. It was heading back to the station. DUG again chimed in a communication relay.

"Xamzo would like to inform you that a party of three Empirical delegates are aboard the shuttle and have requested immediate transit to Korriban. He is docking with the station to pick up our other two passengers. He is requesting you pilot the ship on this run."

Chrissy Zebby Tembo stood up off the couch.

"Ok. Tell 'em I'll take the next trip in and he can watch the station." Zebby looked at his new friends. "Xam is my partner and I wanted to fly you anyway. We'll dump the delegates on Korriban and then I'll take you to Ziost. Play it cool and we'll have no problems. Don't go smiling at these Imperials though and don't let them see that dagger. They will have plenty of respect for you, Kurtle, don't you worry. We do this all the time."

He stood up and headed for the door. On the way out he grabbed his belt from behind the bar and fastened it across his body like a sash. It held four blasters and a series of power packs. Ahsoka, Kurtle, and D9-U67-G4413 followed him to the hangar bay.


	8. Inside the Stygian Caldera Nebula

Chapter 8

Inside the Stygian Caldera Nebula

The Imperial shuttle had already landed in the bay with its wings folded up when they came through the hangar doorway. Its ramp lowered down and a blue skinned Rodian in a flight suit came storming off. His sparkly deep blue eyes seems to be spinning and his antennae were standing straight up. He made a b-line to Chrissy Zebby Tembo, his pungent scent reaching the group well before he was close enough to speak.

"There's a Trandoshan, an IG-100 and a Hammerhead on board. It's that mystic, with a bodyguard and a psychopath, I'm telling you." He looked past Chrissy to Ahsoka and Kurtle. "No, offense meant of course."

He lowered his head in respect to the two elegantly dressed figures in black. They looked rich.

Ahsoka spoke up authoritatively. "I'm no fan of Trandoshans myself, none taken."

Xamzo torqued his mouth in a sideways fashion that may have been a smile, then turned his attention back to Zebby Tembo.

"You better take DUG if you want to understand what that Ithorian is saying. Hammerheads, man." He then changed his tune. "Did you collect their fee yet?"

Kurtle produced the small aurodium nugget from his pocket. Both Xamzo's and Tembo's eyes fixated on it. Kurtle spoke. "Get us to Ziost and it is yours."

Xam immediately started stuttering. "Well, well, ah, of course, Chrissy Tembo is the greatest pilot in the galaxy. And we're really sorry about the unexpected shared ride, but we'll get rid of those other passengers. DUG will keep them occupied." He turned to the droid. "DUG, get on board and see if they need anything." The protocol droid shuffled up the ramp onto the ship. "You know, I better come too."

Zebby Tembo slapped his partner on the back. "The more the merrier."

He lead Ahsoka and Kurtle up the ramp onto the shuttle. Xamzo initiated the automatic lockdown on the station and walked up the ramp, closing it behind him.

In the main cabin of the ship there were two rows of large cushioned seats facing each other. Behind each row was a second bench seat row against storage cabinets lining the walls. In the center of the cabin stood DUG talking to the three passengers. The Hammerhead Ithorian sat in the center chair on the right side of the ship. He was draped in a heavy black robe and only the curving top of his head was exposed, two large radiant yellow eyes above a grey brown skinned T-shape. To his left stood the Trandoshan lizard man. He had brown scales and wore a chocolate brown flight suit. His clawed feet seemed to nervously scratch the deck. He was armed with a short barreled laser rifle. His attention immediately fixed on Ahsoka when she walked in. Behind them, in the bench seat row, stood an IG-100 MagnaGuard droid. Also draped with a black cape and armed with an electrostaff, an effective weapon against a lightsaber.

Chrissy ushered Ahsoka and Kurtle past the passengers, wildly gesturing with his arms and loudly explaining the details of the ship. Xamzo stopped at the center of the ship and instructed DUG to inform the passenger and his entourage that they would be going to Korriban immediately. Zebby Tembo sat Ahsoka and Kurtle in the last seats in the opposite row closest to the cockpit. It would be suspicious if they took passengers into the front of the shuttle with them. Xamzo rushed past, jumped in the pilot seat and lifted the shuttle off. Chrissy took his time gesturing with even more exaggeration, seeming to make a big fuss over important passengers. Then he went back to the center of the ship and addressed the Ithorian.

"Today we're making two stops, first we'll take you to Korriban, then on to Ziost for our other two passengers. DUG tell him."

D9-U67-G4413 translated the message perfectly to the Ithorian, who seemed content with the flight plan, but then considered another option. When the hammerhead spoke he did so out of two sides of his head, creating an almost seductive stereophonic resonance. Tembo threw two arms in the air and grabbed both his hips with his other arms.

"Your voice is like my arms!"

DUG translated: "Kalimat has only been to Ziost once and would very much enjoy another stop on the planet. The northern auroras have an amazing green blue swirl to them. It would be their pleasure to be the second destination. He asked that you please drop the others at Ziost first."

Zebby lowered his arms. He had met the old Sith mystic before; Grand Kalimat the alchemist. He had travelled to and from Korriban several times in the last two years and it was Chrissy Zebby Tembo himself that took him to Ziost the first time. He had never travelled with two bodyguards in the past and this concerned him. He rubbed his large flabby chin.

"Kalimat, we will be landing near the old Citadel, but when we take off again I'm sure we'll get a grand view of the planet's upper atmosphere." He leaned in over the sitting Ithorian and whispered to him, even though DUG would would be translating his words. "What's with all the extra security? You expecting trouble?"

D9-U67-G4413 translated and Kalimat spoke again in his self reverbing voice. DUG spoke for him and gestured to his companions: "Kalimat's normal astromech droid has recently been lost and he was replaced with the IG-100 MagnaGuard unit. His new Trandoshan assistant is Traggar." The big brown lizard man grunted and clawed the floor with his toe nails. "He does not expect any incident, but there have been rumors of a rebel plot in the outlying areas. Inside the Nebula, no outsider would dare to go."

Chrissy Zebby Tembo was satisfied with this answer. "Alright then. We'll head into Sith space, now." He lumbered his way to the cockpit and gave Ahsoka an "everything will be just fine" wink as he went by.

The ship pulled away from the station and began to traverse the nebula. They could not go to light speed until they were inside Sith space. It was a lengthy ride through the dense green gas clouds. Some time had passed and Ahsoka sat still in her chair. She could feel the aura of the dark side emanating from the mystic not four chairs away and directly across from her. Kurtle sat still in silence next to her. His red skin was the best cover they could ever ask for. No Imperial would doubt his authenticity. The Trandoshan, Traggar, either bored or just wanting to start trouble walked over in front of her.

"Togruta female, very delicate, pacifists, not warriors."

He licked his scaly mouth and slid his snake like tongue over his jagged teeth with a hiss. Ahsoka narrowed her eyes. This was a test. In a move that was so fast Traggar dropped his weapon to the floor, Ahsoka raised the tip of a red lightsaber just centimeters from his throat. He didn't move an inch, his hands open and out to his sides. He hissed.

"Maybe, I was mistaken."

Ahsoka retracted her saber with a flick of her wrist that burnt a singe mark in the shape of a "Z" on his uniform. He stepped back bent down and picked up his weapon. When he looked up, Ahsoka's foot caught him in the face and sent him over the row of chairs to land on the bench seats in the second row. He jumped up in a state of outrage, but his master stopped him in his tracks. The voice of Kalimat echoed in the silence of the cabin. DUG did not bother to translate. Ahsoka gave another of her near imperceptible nods to the Ithorian and he returned it. She focused to keep her expression stoic. There was indeed a deep sense of wisdom and experience coming from this most exotic of creatures.

Kalimat spoke again. D9-U67-G4413 translated: "Grand Kalimat would like you to join him for conversation on the journey. He graciously asks that you take the seat across from him." DUG wave to the seat four spaces down directly facing the Ithorian hammerhead Sith.

Ahsoka followed her feelings, never before had she felt the need to be so mindful of her Jedi training. She stood up casually and walking with a rare show of feminine elegance that fixated the attention of the Sith entourage on her. She sat down across from the hammerhead. Kurtle followed and quickly placed himself silently in the chair to her right. The Trandoshan, Traggar, took up a position next to the droid bodyguard behind Kalimat. DUG stood out of the way in the center of the cabin, but made himself available for translations. Kurtle stood up.

"I am Kurtle Pall Dark Hand to my master Zelka …" The Ithorian cut him off mid sentence. His stereophonic voice pulsed a sense of fear into the room and he spoke for several minutes. Seven words in basic were clearly discernible in his speech, the names 'Kurtle Pall, Ajunta Pall,' 'Jedi' and 'Ahsoka Tano.'

DUG translated: "Grand Kalimat says, he is very pleased to meet you both. To young Kurtle Pall he directs the sentiment, that he has nothing but respect for the linage of his great ancestor, Ajunta Pall the first Dark Lord of the Sith. What a rare treat it is to meet someone like you. He wonders who your master was before you fell in with this rogue warrior, or if in fact she has been your master all along? He is convinced that you are a person of great honor, though of young and inexperienced power and certainly in need of much training and guidance. He fears for your corruption at the hand of a rogue Jedi."

The droid paused for effect. "Kalimat would also like you to know that he is completely aware of your identity, Ahsoka Tano, and at this time he would like to tell you that he has known of you for many, many years. He watched you grow up and has in fact seen you on multiple occasions in person in the halls of the galactic senate. The fact that he is unknown to you should be no surprise. The Jedi walked with impunity on their home world. The Sith have shaped and watched much of your life. The recent developments and events on Onderon and Mandalore, he is also aware of. Though he must admit, he never imaged to be seeing you here. Kalimat would like to know, do you come seeking training in the dark side? If so, he would offer a lesson to guide you on the path to a higher understanding of the force." D9-U67-G4413 silenced.

Traggar grunted. Ahsoka kept her hands at her sides. Kurtle flinched and she hoped he wouldn't draw his dagger. Out from under his cape came the stormtrooper rifle. At the same time Kalimat's long multi-jointed hand seemed to slowly rise. Ahsoka stopped him from firing on the Ithorian. She moved his aim with the force and his blast cracked into the droid guard knocking him over. The IG-100 jumped back up and ignited his electrostaff. Its buzz filled the silence of the cabin.

Chrissy Zebby Tembo yelled from the front. "Hey, what's going on back there?"

Ahsoka answered him. "A training exercise for Kurtle, nothing of your concern." She spoke curtly and directly as a Sith would.

Xamzo looked to Tembo. "They're wrecking the ship again." To which he got the reply. "We can buy a new ship after this run. Just go with it." They stayed in the front of the craft, piloting. They were coming out of the nebula barrier and it would only be a short light jump to Ziost. They took the ship to light speed.

Kalimat made an attempt at broken basic.

"Tano, it is your intention, to are, Dark Jedi?"

She sized up the movements of the three. The droid was ready to attack, the fidgety Trandoshan was gripping his weapon and the Ithorian was calm and still. She followed his lead.

"We are in search of a Jedi on Ziost, Kurtle's master. He will not reveal the name to me."

This also seemed to be a surprise to the Ithorian.

"I know, no Jedi, on Ziost."

He turned his head only slightly toward the droid and spoke another long speech. He seemed to have a deep fascination for Ahsoka as he spoke.

DUG translated: "He has not been on Ziost for several years, he is very certain there are no Jedi on Korriban, but now wonders if in fact Ziost would be a splendid place to hide. A place no one would ever think to search. A secret place from the Sith past. A place where a rogue Jedi like yourself might be up to something. A place unknown to most. A place where a Sith pureblood youngling would be able to lead you. You were the Padawan of the Chosen One. The apprentice to Darth Vader in his youth before his turn to the dark side. You had a tremendous teacher. Kalimat senses your power is great. He himself also must hide his true master. The master of his youth was Darth Plagueis the Wise, Dark Lord of the Sith. It was the plan of Plagueis to put his apprentice, Palpatine, into power. To be the puppet master pulling the strings during the clone wars, to move his apprentice to a position of ultimate political power. But Plagueis was betrayed by the current Dark Lord of the Sith, your former master's current Master, Darth Sidious, the Emperor." DUG's eye pulsed. "This is all very confusing."

He continued his translation: "Kalimat senses that you could join with your former master and together seize control of the galaxy. If that is your intention, your ambition, he offers his most humble service to you as advisor, teacher, and alchemist. Kalimat has unlocked many secrets of both the light and the dark side. He is a powerful wielder of the force and assures you his powers would be a great asset in a campaign against the murderer of Plagueis. The enemy of your enemy is your friend. While Vader is a warrior, he does not appreciate the finer subtleties of the force. Kalimat believes that you do."

The hammerhead added in basic. "Do not let petty thugs, I travel with, confuse, need not their protection, do I."

This comment seemed to rub the Trandoshan the wrong way. He snorted behind his employer.

Ahsoka let all that sink in. Had she been a pawn in the Sith's game since childhood. So much doubt had been cast in her mind. In all her time with the Jedi she had never even heard of such people. She had a million questions for this force sensitive Ithorian. She centered her mind before she answered.

"Grand Kalimat, I sense you indeed have a great deal you could teach me. However, only half of it would be things I would want to learn."

From his stillness he sensed her incorruptibility, her purpose for good, her light side connection.

"I am the enemy of your enemy, it is true, and I have no quarrel with you. But let me be clear, I've no intention, whatsoever, of joining Anakin on his quest for power, nor of joining him on the dark side. I have no respect for this Vader persona he has become. I'm afraid he would also be on my list of enemies. I'm sure he feels that way."

The Hammerhead let out a short stereo laugh.

"Search feelings, do really believe, Vader is enemy?"

Ahsoka shook her head. "He would kill me if he had the chance."

Kalimat felt her resolve. "Then, student to Kalimat, you become?"

Here Ahsoka smiled. He was a sweet old Ithorian, even if he surely had a twisted dark side to him. She also sensed good.

"Kalimat, in a different world, we would be wonderful friends."

He laughed a long stereophonic cackle. Then spoke in his own language.

DUG translated from the sidelines: "Kalimat is sure you two would be great friends, he wants you to know that his offer will always be available to you, but since you will not join him and since this is the world you both live in. He will not only be reporting you to Vader, but he will be delivering you to him, personally. I will inform Chrissy Zebby Tembo to turn the ship around when we drop out of light speed at Ziost."

D9-U67-G4413 waddled to the front of the ship.

Ahsoka closed her eyes for just a moment, the Trandoshan had already leveled his weapon on her. Kurtle raised his blaster rifle. Kalimat opened his fingers, his force power ripped the gun out of Kurtle's grip. It shot across the row and hovering just in front of Kalimat. He closed his hand and the stormtrooper rifle crumpled into a ball of metal and fell to the floor. Ahsoka opened her eyes.

"I'm sorry Kalimat, I don't want to hurt you, but that isn't going to happen."

She stood up on her chair. Traggar fired. She lit the two red lightsabers and sent his blast straight into the IG-100 droid who was advancing over the chairs. Traggar went into motion running behind Kalimat. Then Kurtle did it. He pulled out his dagger. It lit up white and turned immediately to a dark purple. Kalimat's yellow eyes fixed on it.

The ship dropped out of lightspeed. Through the front window of the shuttle Ziost came into view. Two moons orbited the light colored world. More shots were fired from the back. Xamzo jumped out of his seat blaster in hand. A moment later he came flying back into the cockpit and landed backwards on the floor, dead. Another blast came from the back and slammed into the control panel. Chrissy worked the controls frantically trying to keep the ship in orbit. He screamed to the back.

"You'll kill us all!"

The ship was caught in Ziost's gravitational pull. They were going down. Smoke filled the cockpit.

The IG-100 droid was up again and engaging Kurtle who dueled successfully with his dagger. Traggar fired again at Ahsoka, this time she knocked his bolt right back into his arm. He dropped his weapon and groaned in pain. He pulled a knife with his other good hand and lunged toward Kurtle. Ahsoka jumped in and held off the Magnaguard droid. Fighting with two sabers it was no match for her. As she blocked the droid's attack thrust, her other sword slashed not only the electrostaff in half, but halved the droid as well. Its upper body hit the deck with a metallic clank. Its arms continued to swing half the staff at her feet. She brought down both sabers onto the droid's head and midsection simultaneously. Its read eyes faded and it ceased to function. Its legs still stood in a battle stance, motionless.

She turned her attention to Kurtle who had pushed back Traggar, sliced his knife in half, but then received a powerful kick in return. Kurtle was sent to the floor for a moment. Traggar picked up his rifle again. He fired twice, one blast hitting the wall the other being deflected by Kurtle, the ricochet nearly missing his head. Kurtle landed on the scrambling Trandoshan and sunk his saber in him all the way to the hilt. Traggar let out a high pitch scream and collapsed into stillness.

In the front of the shuttle Chrissy Zebby Tembo was yelling at DUG to put out the fire. The smoke was starting to fill the cabin as well. Kalimat stood up and slowly clapped his hands three times.

"Most impressive."

With a slight raise of his hand. Kurtle was lifted off the ground. He dropped the Ajunta dagger and both his hands went to his throat. He gasped for air. Ahsoka turned to Kalimat.

"Stop it."

He didn't.

"Why defend, evil creature, you guardian of light, no?"

Ahsoka advanced on Kalimat. Kurtle dropped and frantically tried to take in as much air as he could. Kalimat raised his hands and force lightning filled the cabin with electric blue light. Ahsoka crossed her two red swords and the energy was absorbed into them. The force of the blast pushed her back beyond Kurtle. Kalimat reached forward and Ajunta Pall's dagger flew into his hands. He admired the hilt and then lit the blade. It was very briefly white and near instantly sunk into a very dark purple, nearly back color.

The Ithorian laughed again. Its large sound filled the cabin as much as the smoke. The reverberations of which filled Ahsoka with dread.


	9. Ziost

Chapter 9

Ziost

The sun had just set over the ancient ruins of the Great Citadel of Ziost. Once the gateway of the Sith Empire, now it was an archaeological artifact of a long lost civilization. Through the maze of the crumbling city up to the remaining spires on the mountain top all was cold and dark. Wind swept across the open tundra that led away from the shadow of the Citadel, towards the nearly petrified forests of the surround. Out of the whirling snow clouds above the old city shot a fireball of a ship. They were coming in hard and they were coming in fast. The shuttle streaked across the sky, heading to the flatlands on the edge of the dead forest.

Chrissy Zebby Tembo had done his best to level out the trajectory. The controls were finally responding and he set in a landing course. It wasn't going to be a soft one. He spun around, pulling all four of his blaster pistols out at once, one for each hand.

"DUG, keep on eye on the controls."

The jittery protocol droid did his best. "I'll do my best, sir."

The sound of clashing lightsabers came loud and clear into the front of the ship. Zebby Tembo ran into the cabin. Ahsoka was exchanging saber swings with Kalimat. The Hammerhead Sith in his dark robe wielded only a small dark colored laser sword. Chrissy recognized it immediately, noting Kurtle who was slowly pushing himself up off the floor and attempting to breath. The Hammerhead spoke to Ahsoka as he pushed her away with the dagger.

"Would be, no match for you, Ajunta sword, power-r-r-r-r-r."

He did seem to be moving way too slow to be fighting back Ahsoka with only a single smaller sword, but he was holding his own. Tembo leveled all four blasters on him.

"That will be enough fighting on my ship."

Kalimat turned his attention the Besalisk aiming four guns at him. He seemed to be raising his hands in surrender, until the lightning came flashing out of his fingers. The bolts viciously shocked Chrissy Zebby Tembo, who convulsed horribly and collapsed into a big pile on the floor.

Kalimat turned back towards Ahsoka, but it was too late. Her swords came down quick, much too quick for him to stop her. In a flash of red light his hands were removed from his body. Ahsoka raised both her sabers to his odd T-shaped head.

"Can you make that lightning without any hands?"

Kamilat said "No" in his own language and Ahsoka understood.

"Then sit down and don't move."

He did.

Ahsoka picked up the Ajunta Pall dagger, prying it out of the knuckley dead hands of Kalimat. As soon as she held it, she felt its power. It pulsed and softly glowed in her hand. She lit the blade, which started off a dark purple and then slowly got lighter until it was nearly white. She held it toward Kalimat.

"Are you going to behave now?"

The Ithorian again spoke in his own language and his answer was "Yes."

Ahsoka walked over to Kurtle and helped him into the chair across from Kalimat.

"Are you ok?"

Kurtle weakly got out an, "I'll be alright."

She retracted the Ajunta Pall dagger, yet felt no desire to let it go. Kalimat cracked a strange smile out of both sides of his head.

"Why give back, to this child, a warrior's weapon, belongs to a true warrior."

Ahsoka narrowed her eyes at the Hammerhead, then turned to Kurtle shaking the hilt of the dagger in front of his face. "Don't lose this again. It is the most important tool in a Jedi's life." She handed him the dagger and instantly felt a sting of regret for doing it.

She moved past Kalimat quickly. "I thought you were going to behave."

She knelt down next to Chrissy Zebby Tembo. He was breathing though barely conscious. She pulled the heavy guy up and leaned him against a chair.

"Chrissy, can you hear me?"

He flailed his arms, then moved himself into a less awkward position.

"The ship... save the ship."

Ahsoka looked to the front of the shuttle. Out the window was all whiteness. Xamzo lay dead on the floor. She ran to the cockpit and attempted to slow the descent. The tree line was coming up fast and she leveled the ship out just in time. It rocketed forward just meters off the ground.

D9-U67-G4413 made excuses. "I'm not very good at piloting. I'm a protocol droid. Why they expect me to do everything I'll never know."

At least he had put out fire. The shuttle wings folded up and it landed with a ruff skid and came to a stop not ten meters from the row of giant leafless trees. The drag marks revealed black earth in the white snow covered field.

Ahsoka pulled DUG off the control panel where he flew when they hit the ground. The body of the dead blue Rodian, Xamzo, had also flown forward in the crash. She put him into a chair in the cockpit and closed his eyes. She returned to the cabin. Zebby Tembo had lifted himself into one of the chairs. Kurtle was standing holding the dead Trandoshan's laser rifle.

"Well, what do you want to do now?"

Kurtle was excited and replied immediately. "We should head for the old city and up to the Citadel. We will find my Master."

She looked to Tembo.

"I guess I'm going to fix the ship and take the Kalimat to Korriban. If he still wants to go?"

They all looked to the Hammerhead. He was slumped in his chair looking at the cauterized stumps at the end of his arms. His yellow eyes were bloodshot, giving him an even more gruesome look. He looked passed Ahsoka to DUG standing behind her and spoke his language.

D9-U67-G4413 translated: "Kalimat admits he was a fool to fight you with a lightsaber, he knew well he was no match. He says the dagger gave him false confidence, that it tricked him. He warns you, Ahsoka, to beware of that dagger. Kalimat also says, when you do meet Vader again, mark his words and know that together the two of you could seize control of the galaxy. He would like to be taken to Korriban and wants to know if this ship has a medical droid."

DUG walked to the back of the ship, opened a storage unit and inside it activated the medical droid. The droid came out and assessing the situation gave Kalimat an injection for dealing with shock first.

"He'll need to be prepped for surgery. The ship's ventilation system must also be purged of this smoke."

The medical unit walked toward the front of the ship, stopped at Zebby Tembo and gave him a stimulant and a painkiller, then he went to the cockpit to adjust the environmental system.

Chrissy let out a big sigh. "Oh, that is way better."

Ahsoka knelt down next to him. "Will you be ok?"

Chrissy put an arm around her. "Of course I will. Now, help me into the cockpit, so I can see about getting this bucket of bolts running again."

A ramp lowered from beneath the shuttle and two figures in black exited. Kalimat was under sedation. The bodies were stowed. Chrissy Zebby Tembo was back on his feet. He would need another hour or so before he would be able to take off again. Kurtle had paid him in full and was offered as a bonus, the use of Xamzo's speeder bike. He wouldn't be needing it any more. Kurtle got on the small bike behind Ahsoka and they were off. A single black dot moving at terrific speeds across a vast field of white.

The snow floating in the wind bit into Ahsoka's face. She leaned back more into Kurtle for warmth. His body temperature was warmer than hers. Even though only her face was exposed, the cold was something fierce on a speeder bike. The mountain and the Citadel loomed in the distance. The planet appeared barren and dead. The city at the base of the mountain was dark and empty. She followed her feelings and pushed the bike on at its top speed.

Again she thought back to her youth and the time she spent with Master Plo Koon. He had been her mentor as a child. He had taught her to ride speeder bikes and he had taught her to become a pilot. She squinted into the dark snowy night, tears streaking her face. She could almost see him racing beside her on his speeder, guiding her through the darkness. Again his voice came to her, this time floating on the wind.

"Be mindful of the words of the Kalimat, little Ahsoka."

When Ahsoka laid the Kalimat down before they sedated him, her kindness to him, even after his assault, touched the old Hammerhead. He waved DUG over and bid him to translate an old Jedi tactic to counter the Sith choke move. His offer to teach her would always remain.

Kurtle stood up on the bike making it hard to balance.

"There! There! Ahsoka look, in the tower, he's here!"

He was bouncing up and down and reaching over her, pointing up the mountain. Sure enough far above the abandoned city, in the spires of the the ancient Citadel of the Sith Empire, was a dim light. It was faint, but it was definitely a sign of life.

"I see it. We'll have to work our way through the city and up the mountain to get there."

Kurtle sat back down and squeezed Ahsoka. She was able to bring the speeder bike back up to full speed and they raced to the city gates. The great city was surrounded by a five story stone wall. It was crumbling in many places and the large entry gate opened to the start of the main road through the city. Ahsoka slowed as they passed. The remnants of the gate doors lay covered in a frozen layer of snow. They had been destroyed by large weapon fire a long, long time ago. As they started down the main thoroughfare the temperature noticeably rose. The rows of large buildings blocked out the cold winds of the plains. The frozen tears that had streamed across Ahsoka's face as they drove returned to a liquid state. The city was derelict, abandoned for eons. The darkened empty buildings were the tombstones of the Sith Empire.

The streets were empty and the structures without windows. Not a single sign of life at all. Everything but the walls had been stripped away and looted centuries ago. They continued through the city of the dead to the base of the mountain and there things changed.

A massive gateway arched across the roadway. On each side stood huge three story tall stone sculptures of hooded figures. Time had worn the details off them, but there was no doubt this was the gateway out of the city and into the Citadel of the Sith.

Kurtle looked over Ahsoka's shoulder. "Amazing."

They passed through the gateway and started the climb on what could hardly be called a road. It wound back and forth, up and up, zig zag after zig zag, ascending the mountain. Thousands of years of decay, erosion, and avalanches reduced it to nothing more than a cliff edge in the good parts and in bad parts huge drop offs going down thousands of meters. The cold returned with a vengeance the higher they climbed. Ahsoka pumped the speeder bike, hoping over ravine and precipice, working their way to the fortress on the mountain top. Kurtle clung to her and she held onto the bike with all her strength.

When they reached the clearing at the top her hands were numb. She stopped the bike in a wide open courtyard to the side of which was clearly a spaceship landing pad. She rubbed her gloved hands together, clapping the feeling back into them. They both sat staring at the structure ahead of them. The Citadel's walls were stone and in places the stone had worn or been blown away from was revealed the iron alloy understructure. This building's interior was made with advance materials. The wide roadway to the entrance was lined with humanoid sculptures of men with their heads bowed low. Each was at least twenty meters tall and many were broken or missing. Ahsoka felt it, this place had a sense of evil, of the dark side.

"Do you sense it Kurtle?"

He nodded his head. "Yes, the power of the force is strong here. And more than that, it shines on the dark side."

Ahsoka thought his choice of words was odd on such a dark night, with a blanket of clouds blocking out the moons and stars. Nothing shone here.

"Shall we press on?"

Kurtle shook his head again. "Yes, look." He pointed up to the spires far above.

The faint light was more clear now. It was electronic. There was still power in some parts of this building. She grabbed the handlebars with her awaken hands and drove down the row of sculptures and through the great open stone entry way. Inside they were able to find vast hallways and ramp systems. Ahsoka let the force be her guide through the black castle interior. It was much warmer inside and the smell of dust filled the stale air. They travelled in near total darkness up through the levels of the Citadel until they came to a doorway that led back outside.

They had reached the upper levels and found another rooftop landing pad with space for at least four freighter sized ships. In the corner near the wall were three ships, covered in snow. They seemed rather old, but may still have been functional.

"I think they are interceptor class, or maybe some kind of interceptor prototype."

The only other thing of interest on the landing pad was the steel door to the upper portion of the fortress. It was closed.

"Well, Kurtle, what next?"

Ahsoka parked the speeder bike next to the large door. It had markings that looked similar to the marking on the Kurtle's sword.

"Can you read them?"

Kurtle smiled. "We are here. My people were introduced to the lightsaber by the Jedi. It was more to them than just a weapon, it was a symbol of identification."

He walked to the center of the massive door. A small hole surrounded by markings was there. Kurtle brought out the Ajunta dagger and lit it. He placed the sword blade into the hole for only a moment, then removed it. The symbols flashed red and the door began to open.

"And also a key."

They entered into a large open hallway inside. The dim overhead lights were operational and the environmental controls were functioning. There was heat. This was definitely not a ruin.


	10. The Name of the Master

Chapter 10

The Name of the Master

The heavy metal door closed with a distorted thud. Outside, the red symbols faded and light snowflakes blew about in the wind. They removed their gloves and heavy outer garments. Kurtle stuffed everything into his backpack. He was wide eyed and excited.

"I had no idea, the scale of this city. The past of my people. Fascinating. I can't believe the upper structure is still active. We're on the right track, I can feel it."

Ahsoka felt it too, but wasn't confident about it being the right track. The upper section of the Citadel had an incredibly strong force presence and it leaned toward the dark side. She had never been in a place like this. In some ways it reminded her of the last time she was in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant.

"I wonder if this was a training facility or some kind of force meditation point?"

She looked around the entry room. It was large and barren, with only one other door opposite the way they had just came in. Four soft overheads still functioned, giving off just enough dim light to make it creepy.

Kurtle walked to the opposite darkened hallway entrance.

"Look, HK droids."

The hall was long and lined with at least a hundred humanoid battle droids of a like Ahsoka had never seen. The droids were made of a dull steel and stood in two rows with their backs against the walls of the hallway. They all held a blaster rifles at their side and appeared inoperative. The hall was silent.

"HK? Do you know this droid type? They seem rather primitive."

Kurtle stepped forward into the hall. "Yes, they are very old, maybe thousands of years, assassin droids, hunter killer models. I've only ever seen one. They're part protocol droid, part battle droid. Smart and fast. Deadly."

A red light went on in the hall and the first four droids came to life. Kurtle quickly backed out into the entry room. Two on each side, the four droids stepped forward and turned in unison to face the entrance hall, then marched forward two steps and stopped just inside.

"Speak the name of the master to gain admittance."

They all spoke together, then stood in silence. Ahsoka looked back to Kurtle with eyes wide open. Kurtle threw up his arms. Ahsoka turned back to the droids and made a guess.

"Darth Sidious."

The eyes of the droids lit up bright yellow.

"Prepare to die, intruders."

They all raised their blasters together and taking aim, fired. Ahsoka hardly got her sabers lit in time to deflect two of the blasts. Kurtle fell flat on the floor one shot burning a hole through his backpack. The droids fired again with deadly accuracy. Ahsoka had never fought droids with such precision. The first two started to advance on them. Kurtle dove again to the side of the hallway entrance. He drew his dagger and took the head off one advancing droid. Ahsoka split the other into four parts with a double sword swing. The third ran forward almost suicidally into her blades, distracting her as the fourth stepped further back into the hall. Another red light came on and six more droids activated and stepped away from the wall. Kurtle ran forward blocking several shots and even being grazed on his right shoulder. He yelled out and slashed the fourth droid in half. The next six stepped into formation. They spoke together.

"Speak the name of the master to gain admittance."

Kurtle backed into the entrance hall again, taking up a position behind Ahsoka. He was holding his shoulder.

"I'm ok, it's just a scratch."

All six robots stepped forward in formation. "Speak the name of the master to gain admittance."

Ahsoka looked to Kurtle, who seemed to be alright if not slightly dazed.

"Kurtle, what's the name of your master? No more games. These droids mean business!"

The droids raised their weapons. "Speak the name of the master to gain admittance."

Ahsoka turned to face them. From behind her Kurtle blurted out, "Darth Vader."

The droids responded instantly with laser blasts. "Death to invaders!"

Ahsoka chopped through the first two droids and the next two managed to hit her in the arm. If it wasn't for the chrome armor she was wearing she wouldn't have a left arm anymore. She jumped over the droids, slashed the back two and in a pinwheel motion, took out the others. The leg section of the last droid skidded across the floor down the hallway. Two more red lights activated and ten hunter killer droids stepped away from the wall.

"Speak the name of the master to gain admittance."

Ahsoka turned for a moment and glared at Kurtle. She quickly returned her attention to the just activated droids. And again Kurtle blurted out a name.

"Ajunta Pall."

The first droid laughed a weird programmed electronic giggle. "Good guess, young Sith, but it is time to die." All the droids open fired.

The hallway became a canon of laser blasts, all firing out at them. Kurtle was on his feet again and holding a thermal detonator. He lobbed it into the center of the ten advancing droids. Ahsoka was able to deflect most of their shots, but was having trouble sending the bolts back at them. They fired very quickly as if they were programmed to fight Jedi. The detonator exploded. Ahsoka put up a force shield in front of them to deflect the droid shrapnel flying their way. Then she bent down and picked her lightsabers up off the floor. The last surviving droid was quickly running down the hall. He had almost reached the other end. Ahsoka threw her saber. It spun down the hallway like a red saw blade and ripped the droid in half. She used the force to pull the sword back into her hand. The entire hall lit up red. The remaining eighty droids stepped out from the walls, turned forward and started to march toward them.

"Speak the name of the master to gain admittance."

Ahsoka was besides herself. She was not sure she could fight off this many of them. She thought about Master Plo and she thought about the Hammerhead alchemist, Kalimat. This time when she looked back at Kurtle she smiled.

"This is it for us if I'm wrong."

Kurtle took up a defensive posture. Ahsoka turned to the advancing droids and spoke.

"Darth Plagueis the Wise, Dark Lord of the Sith."

The droids stopped in their tracks. "Welcome, servants of Plagueis."

They returned to their positions on the wall and shut themselves down. The hallway was silent, but there was still a slight ringing in Ahsoka's ears from the explosion. She lowered her swords and turned around to see a stun faced Kurtle with smoke and visible flames coming off his back.

"Your backpack's on fire."

He dropped the pack to the floor and stomped on it until it went out. He left the smoldering pile of belongings on the floor and followed Ahsoka down the hallway of assassin droids.

At the end they came to another anti-chamber. The large round room broke off into two tunnels.

"Should we split up or go together?"

Kurtle seemed to be looking to her for a decision, but made a guess anyway.

"The halls seem to run parallel to each other and aren't much longer than the last. It looks like they both connect to the next chamber."

Ahsoka strained her eyes to make out the room that did seem to exist at the end of each hall.

"Ok, Kurtle, you take the left and I'll take the right and we'll meet in the next room."

He agreed with a nod of his head. Then he bowed low to her. "Just in case, thank you for getting me this far."

She smiled at him. "It's not over yet, remember to be patient and focused, regardless of what happens in the next room."

Kurtle's red tendrils curled up and his pointed teeth filled his grin. "I will Ahsoka, see you on the other side." He ran down the left hallway glowing dagger in hand.

Ahsoka looked back at the broken battle droids and hoped there would be no more. She stepped into the right hallway.

As she walked, Ahsoka became conscious of her own footsteps. She was a Togruta and had long ago mastered the art of silent walking. Her senses seemed to be straining to their ends, attempting to pick up movement in the near pitch black hallway. She wasn't alone. Ahsoka walked on in the darkness, listening to the sound of her footprints. Then she saw Master Plo Koon again. This time he stood directly before her. His body was smoldering, his skin appeared badly burned, his clothing was torn and charred. His breathing mask was gone. Large spiky fangs hung down the sides of his face.

"Ahsoka, the clones turned against us. They're behind me!"

He swung his body around, raising his arms to stop a blast that didn't exist. His body burst into flames and he fell to the floor.

"Master Plo!"

Ahsoka ran forward to help him, but when she got close enough he disappeared. She stopped in the middle of the hall. The walls appeared to be pulling away from her. She saw the interior of the Jedi Temple. Clones were marching through the halls, firing on younglings. They were doing their best to fight them off, but were overwhelmed and shot down, right before her eyes. She cried out and reached forward with her hands. Through the smoke of the battle stepped Anakin Skywalker with a menacing look on his face and his blue lightsaber in hand. He charged her. Ahsoka lit her red sabers and crossing them, blocked his downward swing. The clash of their swords struck a deep chord in her feelings. He pushed on her hard, then pulled back his sword. He looked her straight in the face.

"Why did you leave me Snips?"

He turned and ran back into the temple slashing down temple guards and killing everyone in his path. Again she reached forward. "Anakin, no!" But he was gone as well.

She steadied herself. "This hall is some kind of test."

She walked on. Visions of Shili burning filled her mind. Her people enslaved and murdered. A mass genocide. She began to run. Shili changed into Kashyyyk. Its giant trees ablaze, the bodies of Wookiees strewn about the earth. Kashyyyk faded into Onderon, its cities being bombarded from great starships in orbit high above. The people running for their lives. She ran harder. She came to a swamp. On a muddy shoreline lay her little green former master.

"Master Yoda."

Ahsoka knelt down next to him and scooped him up in her arms.

"I have failed you Ahsoka. The Jedi Order has failed everyone, there is no hope." He died in her arms and vanished from site.

She stood up and walked again. She was close to the exit. The last thing she saw was Master Obi-wan Kenobi. He was old and his hair was white. He was walking down the corridors of some huge space station. He was surrounded by stormtroopers.

"If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine."

Ahsoka stumbled into the next chamber. The central room of the structure. A five story cathedral of platinum and gold. The walls filled with screens, displaying readouts from all over the central galaxy. Positions of planets, movements of populations, statistics on resources, financial statements from the banking clan and the trade federation, live feeds from planetary cameras showing real time battles and serene cityscapes. In the center of the room was a large communications platform. Sitting on the floor in front of the it was Kurtle.

"Ahsoka, the things I've just seen."

She walked up to him and put her hand on his shoulder.

"You've just passed a serious test. And so have I."

The communications platform buzzed and came to life. A two story holographic display filled the center of the room. The bust of a Muun with dark battle armor on his shoulders filled the space. The elongated head and flat features were familiar to Ahsoka as being the central banking clan species. His eyes seemed electric even as a hologram. When he spoke, his voice was almost hypnotic.

"If you are here by my order, please state your command. If you are a friend seeking a favor, state the nature of your request. And if you are my enemy. Or if, pray tell, you are a complete stranger. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Magister Hego Damask II, but you may know me as Plagueis. This is my mountain retreat. I hope you find it entirely serene here. A secluded planet, in a system hidden inside a nebula. Shrouded in Sith legend. Ziost, the first capital of the old Empire. There are three paths ahead. The first is to my personal vault, if you are in fact here by my orders, then you will have my holocron. If you don't know what I am talking about, any tampering with my vault will eliminate the entire planet from orbit. Don't say I didn't warn you. My possessions can be retrieved. The second path is to the upper levels. The barracks, the guest house, and on the fifth level, my private residence. Same security measures apply. Now, my personal residence is hard to replace, so if you destroy it, I might just have to hunt down everyone you've ever known and wipe the memory of you out of existence. The third and final, if not the central path. The one I think is best. That door is open to you. It is my training chambers and my meditation retreat. If you would like to spend some time here, contemplating the darker side of things. By all means, be my guest. Your presence will be detected after you complete the first seventy two hours of meditation. My robots will activate at that time and feed you and meet any other needs you may have. Those whom dive deep into the depths of Sith alchemy will find this sanctuary most effective. Everything within my facility is at your disposal. I congratulate you on making it past my droids and through the twin tunnels. You must have considerable connection to the force."

The image of Plagueis lifted his chin and straightened his neck. The hologram flickered. It must have been a kind of interactive intelligence or maybe just a pre-recorded message. Whichever, the image seemed to be waiting for a response.

Kurtle looked to Ahsoka.

"Should we follow his advice? He is Darth Plagueis the Wise after all. We have no reason to doubt his warnings."

He made a valid point and Ahsoka agreed with it. She spoke to the hologram.

"Plagueis the Wise, we are friends seeking a former Jedi Master who may be here. We would like to spend some time in your retreat."

She was pretty sure she was talking to a recording. The image kept his chin up a moment more, then spoke.

"Well then, you are in luck. I have just the teacher and he just so happens to be in residence, right now. As if he knew you were coming."

The Plagueis image smiled a wicked grin and flicker out. The center of the three doors out of the chamber opened. Its distorted heavy metal thud hung in the air for some time.


	11. The Master of Evil

Chapter 11

The Master of Evil

Ahsoka and Kurtle walked through the doorway together. They entered the huge multi-leveled training area. Open stairwells and ramps connected the various sections. There were windows on the upper floors, not that any light was coming in from the clouded sky above the ancient Sith citadel. The room almost felt like the inside of a spaceship. One wall had a thin waterfall running down it. The other was lined with archaic looking weapons, swords and spears of a more primitive age. Filling the center of the room was an enclosed circular sphere, like a planetarium. A ramp wound around the base of the orb and led to a flush door on its surface, presumably the entrance into the meditation chamber. The sphere called to them both without saying a word. Kurtle spoke of it first.

"There, up the ramp and through the secret door."

He ran ahead and used the controls to open the seamless archway.

She knew he was there the second the door opened, yet she followed Kurtle up the ramp anyway. The chamber was a circular temple with a single beam of light coming through the ceiling, landing on a large crimson crystal and then passing through and out the floor beneath it. Thick white shag carpet ran wall to wall and a ring of columns circled the light beam in the center. Though everything was painted white inside the globe, it took on a reddish hue from the light passing through the crystal. His respirator was the first sound to break the silence.

Darth Vader stood to the right of the center of the room his hands at his side. He took another breath in and out. Ahsoka looked at the large figure in black armor and then she glanced at Kurtle, who seemed a little too pleased with himself.

"Anakin." She smiled. "You're the Jedi that Kurtle has been seeking. You're his master."

Kurtle stumbled across the shaggy floor muttering under his breath. Vader spoke in a deep distorted voice.

"That name is no longer relevant, my returned prodigal padawan."

Ahsoka put her hands on her hips mimicking her former master's stance.

"They bestowed the rank of Jedi Knight on me the day I left the order. I wasn't your padawan even then. Your little Shadow Hand here, he is your padawan."

Kurtle bowed low to Vader, then turned to Ahsoka. "I knew you would want to see each other again. I couldn't tell you or you wouldn't come. But I knew, we knew, you would come."

Vader waved his hand and Kurtle fell silent. He stepped forward, his armor so polished it seemed to shine.

"The Emperor would have me destroy you. But I have a far greater plan. Your power has grown and you will be an excellent apprentice again. I'm pleased you've already taken on the look of the Sith. Together we can defeat the Emperor and take control of the Empire. We can restore peace and order to the galaxy. Help me fulfill my destiny."

Ahsoka reached out with her feelings and focused her mind. She sensed good in him still. She sensed his inner struggle. His mechanical breathing filled the air.

"I've felt for sometime that you were behind all this and that I was meant to meet you again."

Vader laughed a slow chuckle and Kurtle's tendrils curled with joy. Vader acknowledged his youngest pupil.

"You have succeeded with your task Kurtle, wait outside."

This took the wind out of the young Sith's sails. "Master, why? I've brought her to you. I've studied her skills. She is a powerful warrior. A great teacher. Why do you…"

Vader silenced him again with a turn of his head. Kurtle backed up slowly and stood in the doorway.

Ahsoka spoke. "Don't let this attire fool you. My purpose is clear. I am to guide you back to the light. I know there is good in you. The dark side doesn't hold you completely. That robotic suit doesn't control you, you control it. Anakin, it's not too late."

Vader shook his head.

"I feel the good in you. I feel your conflict. I know seeing me is more than you bargained for. My mission as a Jedi wasn't to be your padawan. It was to be an influence of good in your life. A focus of light to help keep you away from the dark side. Didn't you ever think about why they assigned me to you in the first place?"

Vader took another step forward.

"Then you have failed in your mission. And from that failure you will enter into the realm of the dark side."

Ahsoka narrowed her eyes. "You're not my master, Anakin. And you haven't been for a very long time."

Vader raised his left hand and pinched his thumb and forefinger together. "So be it."

The air rushed out of Ahsoka's lungs. It felt as if a metal vise was clamping her throat and lifting her off the ground, hanging her in thin air. Her vision was going dark. She closed her eyes. She remembered the Kalimat's training. She focused her mind and pushed back with the Force.

Vader let out a startled groan and staggered slightly before steadying himself again. His choke hold was broken as well as his connection to his dark side powers. He looked up and saw two red sabers coming down fast. He raised his own sword just in time to save his arms. Ahsoka had leapt across the room lighting both sabers as she flew landing hard with a Force push and testing the limits of Vader's robotic limbs. He shoved her away and parried with a long swing.

Ahsoka could see his moves coming from a mile away, he was slower using his mechanical armor, but his sword landed with incredible power. She deflected his swipe at her and in a twirling motion, spun, setting both her blades up to chop him in half. Vader raised his sword vertically. When the red blades connected it felt like Ahsoka was hitting a brick wall. She pulled back and swung low as fast as she could. Vader lowered his sword and stepped back to protect his legs. When they connected swords again her wrists felt the pain of the hit. No show of strength could get past his defenses.

Ahsoka took advantage of having two swords, she cracked one blade into his and slid the other down the shaft of his saber in an attempt to hit his hand or the hilt. Vader was forced to let go of his sword. Its blade extinguished and the hilt landed several meters away in the shag carpeting.

She had him. Ahsoka stood up straight.

"And just like that, Darth Vader, the scourge of the galaxy, was no more."

She narrowed her eyes. She felt Kurtle moving fast behind her, but ignored him. This was it. Her whole life, all her training, everything came down to this moment. She swung both her swords out to her sides and brought them simultaneously toward Vader's torso. He had no weapon and wasn't fast enough to evade her. He was trapped between two laser swords. Vader reached out defensively with his black gloved hands and caught both lightsabers. He grabbed hold of the glowing red blades and let out a loud howl of pain. The gloves melted away. The metal of his mechanical hands began to glow. The joints would soon fuse. Ahsoka pushed in with all her might. The acrid scent of molten metal and burnt plastic filled the air. She looked up and saw herself reflected in the black eyes of Vader's helmet. There she noticed the purple glow of the dagger behind her.

The dark blade of Kurtle's dagger erupted out of Ahsoka's chest and splattered blood all over Vader's armor. Her eyes filled with tears. Her mouth hung open in disbelief. She felt fire in her lungs and her heart exploding. The Ajunta Pall dagger changed from dark purple to a pure white light. It lit up the room and flushed out the red glow. For a second the piercing blades connected the three warriors and the white light blinded them, frozen in the moment, like a camera flash.

Kurtle withdrew the dagger from Ahsoka's back and she fell to the floor. Her two deactivated sabers landed at her sides. Not a single sound escaped her. Vader screamed in horror.

"NOoooooo!"

He reached out with his glowing orange metal hand and pulled Kurtle into his grasp. He crushed his neck in his grip. The heated metal melted the tendrils off Kurtle's face. Vader grabbed the Ajunta Pall dagger away from him with his other hand. The blade went from bright white to nearly black instantly. Vader slashed Kurtle's squirming body into pieces. Then he dropped the now smoldering dagger onto the pile of red bloody parts staining the temple carpet. For a moment he looked at Ahsoka on the ground.

His loss was complete.

Vader walked out of the room, pulling his lightsaber back into his hands as he left and tracking bloody footprints across the pristine white shag. He exited the building, met his fighter pilot escorts, and took off immediately. As they left orbit two star destroyers were waiting for them. The three smaller ships entered through the bottom bay doors.

A damaged Imperial shuttle lifted off Ziost and the order was given to blast it out of the sky.

The star cruisers rocketed out of old Sith space, passed through the nebula, and went to light speed, heading toward the central galaxy. The nearly constructed Death Star was a fitting destination.

Darth Vader stood on the bridge looking out into space. The power of the dark side raged within him. His anger and hateful torment was unending. The last person he cared about was gone.


End file.
